[WASHINGTON] US President Donald Trump said no television networks should be able to expand, citing the potential growth of what he considers left-wing news networks.
“If this would also allow the Radical Left Networks to ‘enlarge,’ I would not be happy. ABC & NBC, in particular, are a disaster – A VIRTUAL ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY,” Trump said in a social media post on Sunday (Nov 23). “They should be viewed as an illegal campaign to the Radical Left. NO EXPANSION OF THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS. If anything, make them SMALLER!”
Trump’s post was in response to a Newsmax story that said Federal Communications Commission (FCC) head Brendan Carr is moving to give television networks massive reach and push through a merger of Nexstar Media Group and Tegna.
The FCC did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday evening.
Trump has ramped up his long-running attacks on the media, while his administration seeks to limit press access. After late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel remarked on conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s death, Carr threatened to revoke the broadcast licenses of ABC-owned local stations and its affiliates.
Trump’s post comes as Time Warner is exploring a potential sale. A sale is certain to bring more turmoil, at least in the short run, for a company looking at its fourth owner in seven years.
AT&T purchased Time Warner from its shareholders in 2018 to diversify into film and TV production. Four years later, WarnerMedia was merged into Discovery, creating the current iteration.
With consumers and advertisers shifting from traditional TV to streaming, Warner Bros has struggled under its current leadership. But with the recent takeover speculation, the shares have nearly tripled over the past two months. It now has a market value of US$57 billion and about US$33.5 billion in debt.
Trump last week renewed his call for the FCC to revoke station licenses for ABC after a reporter for the network asked about his handling of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. BLOOMBERG
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