Federal Communications Chair Brendan Carr has requested his agency to look into Comcast’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices, as per a report from Newsmax. Comcast spokesperson Joelle Terry has confirmed to The Verge that they will cooperate with the FCC in responding to their inquiries.
According to Newsmax, Carr mentioned that the FCC is investigating whether Comcast’s initiatives have violated federal employment laws, stating: “I expect that this investigation into Comcast and its NBCUniversal operations will aid the commission’s broader efforts to root out invidious forms of DEI discrimination across all of the sectors the FCC regulates.”
Since assuming leadership of the FCC recently, Carr has made threats to revoke broadcast licenses of companies like Disney and CBS for broadcasting content that is deemed unfavorable to Trump and conservatives. He has also initiated probes into NPR and PBS for airing commercials, which Commissioner Anna Gomez referred to as an attempt by the Trump administration to weaponize the FCC’s power, as reported by The Verge. Carr, appointed by Trump, authored the Project 2025 chapter outlining how the FCC should regulate large corporations.
Comcast, in addition to its cable, wireless, and internet services, owns various broadcasters including NBC Universal and streaming service Peacock. It is important to note that Comcast is also an investor in Vox Media, the parent company of The Verge.
