Brendan Carr’s FCC is more worried about who The View interviews than foreign governments owning Paramount
The FCC has waived its 25 per cent limit on foreign ownership in the proposed Paramount–Warner Bros. deal, allowing sovereign wealth funds controlled by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi to acquire a combined 49.5 per cent stake. The decision has drawn criticism because FCC chair Brendan Carr has simultaneously faced accusations of targeting or restricting politically contentious American broadcasters and journalists.
The FCC says the purchased shares will have no voting rights, preventing the funds from influencing or controlling licensed broadcasters. Critics, including Free Press and Democratic commissioner Anna Gomez, argue that such a substantial investment by foreign governments could still provide meaningful influence over one of America’s largest media companies and its news output.
- FCC approves nearly 50 per cent foreign government ownership.
- Shares lack voting rights, according to the regulator.
- Critics warn the investment could still buy media influence.
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