<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The head of the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="_blank" title="USA's"><span>USA's</span></a><span> federal communication agency has accused several </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/media" rel="" target="_blank" title="broadcasters"><span>broadcasters</span></a><span> of "hoaxes and news distortions", threatening to revoke their broadcasting licences if their coverage of the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/israel-iran-conflict" rel="" target="_blank" title="Middle East conflict"><span>Middle East conflict</span></a><span> doesn't change.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Brendan Carr delivered the ultimatum after referencing a Truth Social post by President </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="_blank" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span>, who slammed reporting by the </span><em><span>New York Times</span></em><span> and </span><em><span>Wall Street Journal</span></em><span> on US tanker planes that were hit in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/saudi-arabia" rel="" target="_blank" title="Saudi Arabia"><span>Saudi Arabia</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Their terrible reporting is the exact opposite of actual facts!" he said, claiming the planes received little to no damage.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-strait-of-hormuz-donald-trump/14ac7b1f-e957-4cec-b4c2-4855aadf111a" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Trump issues cry for help to other nations to keep oil flowing</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They are truly sick and demented people that have no idea the damage they cause the United States of America."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While Trump did not criticise any television broadcasters in this instance, Carr claimed broadcasters must act "in the public interest", and delivered a veiled threat of removing licences if they did not change their tune.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions - also known as the fake news - have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up," he said on X.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/usa-israel-war-in-iran-brendan-carr-fcc-media-coverage-donald-trump/39276974-7950-40be-b02f-136792adb0e9" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They will lose their licenses if they do not."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>NATIONAL:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/iranian-footballers-granted-asylum-three-more-decide-to-return-to-iran/3bbdd83b-1fe2-4eed-b545-6b24ef7b8740" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Three more Iranian footballers backflip on decision to stay in Australia</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Carr has been involved in the FCC since 2017, and assumed his role as chairman when he was appointed by Trump at the start of his second presidency last year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He claims trust in "legacy media" is falling, hinting it is in the best interests of broadcasters to "change course".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Trust in legacy media has now fallen to an all-time low of just nine per cent and are ratings disasters," he claimed, not citing a source for his figure.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is very important to bring trust back into media, which has earned itself the label of fake news."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/artificial-intelligence-tech-sector-lay-offs/dde93ab8-0c9d-409e-ae1f-3d39c0e1ec40"><strong><span>Experts say worse to come after 23,000 jobs gone in mere months</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Carr has previously said governments should not intervene to prevent speech or opinions they do not like.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Should the government censor speech it doesn't like? Of course not," he said in a </span><a href="https://x.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/1096062915201953795" rel="" target="_blank" title="post"><span>post</span></a><span> on X in 2019.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The FCC does not have a roving mandate to police speech in the name of the 'public interest.'"</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In another </span><a href="https://x.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/1827680330179842435" rel="" target="_blank" title="social media post"><span>social media post</span></a><span> from 2023, he said "censorship is the authoritarian's dream".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>