US broadcasters urged to air national anthem and ‘pro-America content’ daily to mark nation’s 250th birthday
FCC Chair Brendan Carr has written to broadcasters to ask them to support the Trump administration’s by airing "patriotic, pro-America content that inspires its citizens".
US broadcasters have been urged to commit to a daily airing of the US national anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance in the lead up to America's 250th birthday.
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FCC Chair Brendan Carr has written to broadcasters to ask them to support the Trump administration’s by airing "patriotic, pro-America content that inspires its citizens".
Among Carr’s ideas for such programming, he suggested something more often seen on state television in authoritarian countries.
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He wrote that channels should: "Start each broadcast day with the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ or Pledge of Allegiance."
Playing the National Anthem used to be a regular feature of a station’s sign-on and signoff but started to disappear as outlets went to 24-hour schedules.
Carr's announcement referenced Schoolhouse Rock!, the ABC Saturday morning interstitials that educated children about civics. The FCC chair said this type of programming was "more relevant than ever".
"Classic programming such as Schoolhouse Rock! is now only found in online archives," he wrote.
"Broadcasters are uniquely positioned to help address these concerning developments by providing programming that celebrates the remarkable story of American Independence while also tailoring it to the specific needs of their local communities, in furtherance of their public interest obligations.
“That is why I am inviting broadcasters to pledge to air programming in their local markets in support of this historic national, non-partisan celebration,” he added.
Carr has been criticised for his recent investigations of shows like The View and Saturday Night Live.
Anna Gomez, the sole Democrat on the FCC, said the probes were aimed at putting pressure on broadcasters to limit content that President Trump dislikes.
Gomez told reporters that “the threats are the point, the harassment is the point, because the commission is not going to survive appeal if it actually takes action against these broadcasters, because what it is doing is a violation of the First Amendment.”
In a post on X, Gomez wrote of the America 250 pledge: "Nothing is more American than defending our constitutional rights against those who would erode our civil liberties.
"If broadcasters choose to participate in this FCC campaign, they can do so by defending their First Amendment rights and refusing government interference."