FCC Chair Threatens Broadcasters’ Licenses Citing Concerns Over Iran War Coverage

‘The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not,’ the FCC chair said.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr testifies before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on May 21, 2025. John McDonnell/Getty Images

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr on March 14 threatened to revoke licenses of U.S. broadcasters, accusing them of publishing “fake news” amid the ongoing war with Iran.

Broadcasters that are running what Carr referred to as “news distortions” must now “correct course before their license renewals come up,” the FCC chairman wrote on social media.