By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday reinstated complaints about how ABC News moderated the pre-election TV debate between U.S. President Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump, and appearances of Vice President Kamala Harris on CBS' "60 Minutes" and NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
Last week, then-FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said the commission was rejecting complaints that "seek to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC (BME:FCC) in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment." The FCC said on Wednesday in a series of orders the complaints were dismissed "prematurely based on an insufficient investigatory record."
The FCC, an independent federal agency, issues eight-year licenses to individual broadcast stations, not networks. The complaints name specific stations of the three broadcasters. NBC, Walt Disney-owned ABC and Paramount's CBS did not immediately comment.
Brendan Carr, who was designated by Republican President Trump as FCC chair on Monday, declined to comment but he told Fox News Business on Wednesday one key focus would be "taking a look at media and making sure they live up to their public interest obligation."
Carr previously criticized Comcast-owned NBC for letting Harris appear on Saturday Night Live just before the election. Rosenworcel noted NBC made available equivalent time and audience for Trump during two sports events.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, said in response "we cannot allow our licensing authority to be weaponized to curtail freedom of the press. The First Amendment is a pillar of American democracy, and our country needs a press free from interference from regulators like me."
Rosenworcel also last week said the agency had rejected a petition not to renew the license of a Philadelphia Fox TV station. The FCC did not reinstate that complaint.
In September, Trump urged the FCC to cancel licenses for ABC over the network's moderating of the Sept. 10 presidential debate.
In October, Trump filed a lawsuit against CBS over the "60 Minutes" interview with Harris that he called "misleading," and asked the commission to compel the broadcaster to release a transcript.