FCC Launches Investigation of NBC Parent Company Over ‘DEI Discrimination’ Concerns

February 12, 2025 Mark Wolf US 0

Federal Communication Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has revealed that he has opened an investigation into how Comcast and NBCUniversal apply woke principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in their hiring practices.

“President Trump is leading America away from the scourge of invidious DEI discrimination and ensuring that everyone in this country has a fair shot at succeeding,” Carr said, according to Fox News.

“Discriminatory DEI programs cannot be squared with this country’s civil rights laws and following President Trump’s leadership the FCC will ensure that every company we regulate ends illegal DEI programs,” Carr, who was named chairman by President Donald Trump, said.

Carr detailed his concerns in a letter to Comcast, writing, “In particular, I want to ensure that your companies are not promoting invidious forms of discrimination in violation of FCC regulations and civil rights laws.”

The Communications Act and Commission rules and the FCC’s Equal Employment Opportunity ban discrimination, Carr wrote.

“Nonetheless, I am concerned that Comcast and NBCUniversal may be promoting invidious forms of DEI in a manner that does not comply with FCC regulations,” he wrote.

“For instance, Comcast states on its website that promoting DEI is ‘a core value of our business’ and public reports state that Comcast has an entire ‘DEI infrastructure’ that includes annual ‘DEI day[s],’ ‘DEI training for company leaders,’ and similar initiatives,” Carr wrote, noting that that NBCUniversal has “similar DEI initiatives.”

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“But promoting invidious forms of discrimination cannot be squared with any reasonable interpretation of federal law.  It can only deprive Americans of their rights to fair and equal treatment under the law,” he wrote.

“Despite the emergence of DEI initiatives in recent years, these forms of discrimination have long been condemned by America’s civil rights laws,” he wrote, citing various U.S. Supreme Court rulings.

“President Trump took quick and decisive action to root out the scourge of DEI,” Carr wrote, noting that Trump issued an executive order “to end illegal discrimination and restore merit-based opportunity across the private sector.”

Carr said the investigation into Comcast/NBC Universal comes in response to Trump’s order that “tasked federal agencies with combatting illegal private-sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities.”

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“At my direction, the FCC has already taken action to end its own promotion of DEI.  As a next step, the FCC will be taking fresh action to ensure that every entity the FCC regulates complies with the civil rights protections enshrined in the Communications Act and the agency’s EEO rules, including by shutting down any programs that promote invidious forms of DEI discrimination,” he wrote.

He said the FCC was beginning with Comcast/NBCUniversal because of its ongoing touting of its DEI efforts and because the companies “cover a range of sectors regulated by the FCC — from cable to high-speed Internet and from broadcast TV stations to MVNO wireless offerings.”

Because of that, Car said, “I expect that this investigation into Comcast and its NBCUniversal operations will aid the Commission’s broader efforts to root out invidious forms of DEI discrimination across all of the sectors the FCC regulates.”

Comcast issued a statement in response, according to Variety.

“We have received an inquiry from the Federal Communications Commission and will be cooperating with the FCC to answer their questions,” a company spokesperson said in the statement.

“For decades, our company has been built on a foundation of integrity and respect for all of our employees and customers.”



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