FCC chair warns media not to run the "fake polls" Trump keeps complaining about
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr warned broadcasters against airing unverified polling data. Carr argued that running such polls violates regulatory obligations regarding news distortion and broadcast hoaxes.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr warned broadcasters against airing unverified polling data. Carr argued that running such polls violates regulatory obligations regarding news distortion and broadcast hoaxes. In a post on X, Carr stated that many broadcasters amplify polls lacking a scientific basis without informing the public.
The warning follows an admission by a small polling entity called Wedgewood Polls that it intentionally published fabricated data to test media vetting practices. Former FCC chairs and officials criticized Carr's statement. A joint statement from former Democratic Chairman Tom Wheeler, former Republican Chairman Mark Fowler, and seven other former officials asserted that good-faith reporting on public polls does not violate FCC rules.
They characterized Carr's warning as an attempt to scare broadcasters into self-censorship. Current Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez also stated that the agency's rules on news distortion do not apply to stations that report publicly available data in good faith.
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Original publication: 22 October 2026 03:47