After receiving payoffs from a number of media corporations, President Donald Trump on Sunday complained about “biased” tv networks, whining that they need to lose their licenses to broadcast as a result of they’re imply to Republicans.
“Why is it that ABC and NBC FAKE NEWS, two of the absolute worst and most biased networks anywhere in the World, aren’t paying Millions of Dollars a year in LICENSE FEES?” Trump requested on his social media account. He then added that the networks ought to “lose their Licenses for their unfair coverage of Republicans and/or Conservative.”
He concluded, “Crooked ‘journalism’ should not be rewarded, it should be terminated.”
The First Modification to the Structure, which Trump swore an oath on Jan. 20 to defend, makes clear that the federal government ought to play no function in controlling the content material of a free press and ensures safety from authorities management over that press.
Along with the risk towards free speech, Trump’s submit reveals full ignorance of how broadcast licenses function in America.
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Native tv and radio stations are given licenses to broadcast over the general public airwaves by the Federal Communications Fee. These charges aren’t normally paid by the key networks like ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, who don’t personal most native stations. Most of these stations are owned by station conglomerates who then have a community affiliation deal that permits them to broadcast programming from the community. Firms like Nexstar, Grey, and the pro-Trump Sinclair pay out a lot of the charges, as do stations owned and operated by the networks he complained about.
Trump ought to pay attention to this course of, since for years he was the host of NBC’s “The Apprentice”—which was one of many packages native associates got entry to.
His assertion additionally highlights that caving to Trump hasn’t satiated his urge for food for obedience. Since he received the 2024 election, the press has been paying Trump off—and he simply retains demanding extra.
However Trump and his staff received’t be glad till each final media outlet is beneath their thumb.
