Pod Force One – FCC Boss Brendan Carr Targets Disney, DEI, and Robocalls
Podcast: Pod Force One
Host: Miranda Devine (New York Post)
Guest: FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr
Date: March 18, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode features an in-depth conversation between Miranda Devine and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. The discussion centers on Carr’s aggressive regulatory agenda under the Trump administration, aimed at restoring trust in the media, reining in major broadcasters and programmers (notably Disney), combating DEI (“diversity, equity, and inclusion”) initiatives in the telecom sector, and targeting consumer nuisances like robocalls and offshore call centers. Carr shares insights into his policy philosophy, regulatory priorities, inspiration from President Trump, and personal anecdotes from his upbringing and career.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Restoring Trust in Legacy Media
Topic: Declining public trust in mainstream media
- Carr references plummeting trust in legacy media, citing a figure as low as 9% of Americans expressing “a great deal of trust.”
- He blames this on media’s disconnect from ordinary Americans and repeated propagation of hoaxes/scandals (e.g., Hunter Biden laptop, Russiagate, Covington Catholic, Jussie Smollett).
- Argues that the rise of social media, podcasts, and alternative platforms has broken the gatekeeping power of traditional media.
“Right now, more people trust gas station sushi than legacy media… trust in legacy media is down to 9% right now.”
—Brendan Carr [00:50]
2. President Trump’s Influence
Topic: Trump’s approach to the media
- Carr sees Trump’s refusal to submit to media narratives as a turning point:
“The core way [Trump’s] doing it is just rejecting the idea that legacy media gets to set the narrative.” [02:32]
- Describes Trump as a “political colossus” whose direct communication and energy embolden his team.
“Look at what President Trump is doing, I think it inspires all of us to push hard and… keep pushing even harder.” [19:38]
3. FCC’s Regulatory Levers over Broadcasters vs. Social Media/Cable
Broadcast TV:
- Government licensing enables regulatory action (public interest, news distortion, equal time).
- FCC is reinvigorating these standards, previously under-enforced.
Cable/Podcasts/Social Media: - Largely outside FCC jurisdiction.
- Carr advocates for “course correction” on trust and accuracy but acknowledges limited authority.
“If you want to use that one unique medium, you have to comply with the rules of the road.” —Carr on broadcast TV [04:44]
4. National Programmers’ Power and Local Station Autonomy
Issue: Disney/Comcast wielding undue influence through content syndication
- FCC aims to re-empower local stations to reject/modify national content that doesn’t fit community standards or values, as seen with Jimmy Kimmel’s episode on the Charlie Kirk assassination.
“We want to empower those local TV stations to actually stand up for their local communities.” [06:53]
5. FCC Policing of News Distortion and Broadcast Hoaxes
- Example: Jimmy Kimmel’s “off color” joke about Charlie Kirk, leading to a warning letter for potential news distortion.
- FCC’s standards distinguish between broadcast and cable; most cable “hoaxes” fall outside jurisdiction.
- Precise levers involve enforcing equal time rules and news distortion prohibitions on broadcasters.
“We’ve reinvigorated…the equal time regulation…” [12:23]
6. The Equal Time Rule and Disney’s ‘The View’
- Disney claims ‘The View’ is a “bona fide news program” and thus exempt from equal time, a point Carr is actively investigating.
“Our position is they have not demonstrated that yet…We have an enforcement investigation going on The View.” [13:27]
7. Media Ecosystem: Transactions and Conditions
- Review of transactions (e.g., Paramount/CBS): FCC places conditions on mergers to encourage fact-based, objective reporting (including bias ombudsman roles).
“They’ve promised to return more to fact-based reporting.” [12:18]
8. Weaponization of Regulatory Power and Political Payback
- Carr criticizes previous Democratic leadership for “weaponizing” the FCC; claims his approach is to simply “apply the law as written” without fear of future political retribution.
“We don’t weaponize, not be biased… Give everybody a fair shot, but actually apply the laws passed by Congress.” [21:41]
9. DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) as Regulatory Overreach
Biden-era Policies:
- DEI ranked as FCC strategic priority #2 (“millions and millions” spent).
- Regulations (e.g., Digital Discrimination rules) penalized companies for disparate impact—potential for loss of license or heavy fines.
- Mandatory “race and gender scorecards” for regulated entities; public disclosure enabled activist pressure on company hiring.
Carr’s Agenda: - All DEI initiatives abolished.
- Investigating Disney for allegedly invidious DEI practices; potential for serious consequences if discrimination is proven.
“[Disney] were creating…internal work groups, siloing and dividing people based on race and gender… promotion opportunities… based on skin color. That is really invidious.” [29:54]
10. Championing Patriotic Programming
- FCC encouraging local broadcasters to air “pro-America” content, especially for the nation’s 250th anniversary; citing wholesome, traditional fare as both economically sound and culturally needed.
“We recently launched…a Pledge America campaign… to run patriotic programming.” [31:13]
11. Cracking Down on Robocalls and Offshore Call Centers
- New FCC approach targets all stages of the illegal robocall life cycle.
- Over 1,000 providers kicked out of the robocall mitigation database.
- As part of company transactions (e.g., Charter/Cox), FCC securing agreements to bring call centers back to the US; exploring rules for English proficiency at offshore centers if they must remain.
“I am annoyed by robocalls as much as the next person… So we’re looking at every single portion of the life cycle of an illegal robocall and making it harder for the bad actors succeed.” [38:12–39:16]
12. US Drone Manufacturing and Security
- In line with Trump admin priorities, FCC is expediting US drones and banning foreign-made drones (especially from China) over security concerns.
“…A lot of these drones could effectively be Huawei on wings. So we need to make sure that we are protected against that.” [40:54]
13. Personal Motivation, Childhood, and Career Path
- Carr credits his resilience and assertiveness to President Trump’s example, describing himself as more “Forrest Gump” than political climber.
- Discusses his father’s background as Nixon’s attorney, a stable, “regular” childhood, sports, and his circuitous journey to FCC leadership.
- Shares networking advice and the importance of keeping “your bags packed” for opportunity.
“Opportunity knocks for everyone. Most people don’t have their bags packed.” [51:36]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Miranda Devine: “You've been called the media pit bull by Hollywood… The Guardian is up in arms about your...‘Trump’s war against the media.’” [00:27]
- Brendan Carr: “We want to empower those local TV stations… if New York or Hollywood is pushing programming that they don’t think is a good fit, then they can take action.” [06:53]
- On DEI: “We're running an investigation… all potential remedies are on the table depending on what the facts show about [Disney’s] level of discrimination.” [29:30]
- On personal ethos: “I love winning. I hate losing more than I love winning.” [43:32]
- On regulatory reform: “We've now launched the largest deregulatory initiative in the agency's history… already gotten rid of something like 300 pages of regulations.” [17:51]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:50: Decline in trust in legacy media
- 03:42: FCC’s remit over different media platforms
- 06:53: Empowering local stations against national programmers (Disney/Comcast)
- 08:19: Kimmel/Charlie Kirk case and news distortion
- 12:18: Enforcement of conditions for fact-based reporting in mergers
- 13:27: Investigation of Disney’s ‘The View’ and the equal time rule
- 19:38: Influence of President Trump on Carr’s regulatory style
- 21:41: Response to weaponization concerns at FCC
- 26:01 – 30:28: DEI as a key agenda—Disney investigation and regulatory reversals
- 36:45: Tackling robocalls and offshore call centers
- 40:39: Ban on foreign-made drones and support for US drone industry
- 43:00: Carr’s childhood, family life, and personal motivations
- 51:36: Secret of success and advice to listeners
Takeaway
Brendan Carr’s interview reveals a highly activist and ideologically motivated approach to FCC regulation under President Trump. The focus is on restoring traditional norms, pushing back against perceived cultural and industry “overreach” (especially around DEI), taking direct shots at legacy media, and emphasizing law enforcement over partisanship. Carr credits direct inspiration from Trump’s leadership style, frames his regulatory actions as a corrective to “elite” and “woke” excesses, and advocates for a patriotic, consumer-centered agenda across American media and telecommunications.
For listeners and non-listeners alike, this summary encapsulates the critical positions, policy actions, and worldview that Carr brings to his tenure as FCC chief, offering a clear picture of current conservative regulatory priorities in Washington, D.C.