October 07, 2025
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Trump Urges FCC Probe of Al Sharpton Show

President Donald Trump on Sunday shared an old photo of MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton on Truth Social, mocked Sharpton’s career and ratings, and publicly urged the Federal Communications Commission to review Comcast/NBC’s broadcast license for alleged pro‑Democrat bias. Trump referenced Brian Roberts and the Tawana Brawley controversy, and the article notes MSNBC is being spun off to a new company called Versant.

Politics Government/Regulatory Media

📌 Key Facts

  • President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday sharing an archival photo of Al Sharpton and calling on the FCC to review NBC/Comcast’s license.
  • Trump named Brian Roberts (Comcast) and accused NBC of hosting 'almost exclusively positive Democrat content'; he called Sharpton’s show 'one of the Lowest Rated Shows in Television History.'
  • MSNBC is in the process of being spun off into a new company called Versant, which will house several cable assets currently under NBCUniversal.

📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)

Brendan Carr Veers off Course in the Manner of the SS Minow
The Wall Street Journal by Thomas W. Hazlett October 07, 2025

"The WSJ opinion criticizes FCC commissioner Brendan Carr for threatening broadcasters over programming—likening his stance to Newton Minow’s famous 1961 critique—and warns that using licensing power to police content politicizes the agency and endangers free‑speech and broadcaster independence."