This letter from democratic Congressmen sounds like an implied threat to me:
"Presenting such deeply flawed and factually inaccurate misinformation to the American public and to children would be a gross miscarriage of your corporate and civic responsibility to the law, to your shareholders, and to the nation. The Communications Act of 1934 provides your network with a free broadcast license predicated on the fundamental understanding of your principle obligation to act as a trustee of the public airwaves in serving the public interest. Nowhere is this public interest obligation more apparent than in the duty of broadcasters to serve the civic needs of a democracy by promoting an open and accurate discussion of political ideas and events. We urge you, after full consideration of the facts, to uphold your responsibilities as a respected member of American society and as a beneficiary of the free use of the public airwaves to cancel this factually inaccurate and deeply misguided program.
Why bring up the fact that ABC's broadcast license is bestowed or withheld at the whim of the government? Any other reason than an implied threat?
I think not.
Why bring up the fact that ABC's broadcast license is bestowed or withheld at the whim of the government? Any other reason than an implied threat?
Is this really correct? What role does the FCC have in licensing a network? I know they must license individual stations, but what about networks?