FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told CNBC on Friday that when it comes to deciding whether to allow the broadcast of the execution of a man convicted of a terror attack in 2009, he will let the person who announced the decision to do so have the final say.

Last week Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that he would allow the execution of former Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan—who killed 13 unarmed people and wounded 32 others in a 2009 mass shooting at Fort. Hood—would be made available for public viewing, including on a live stream.

"We'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public," he told a right-wing news outlet o Oct. 8. "Because people need to understand that there are serious consequences for these types of things."

When asked about this on CNBC Friday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr expressed confidence in the SecDef.

“My understanding is it’s not on broadcast TV, so I don’t think there’s a role for the FCC one way or the other,” he said. “But I trust Secretary Hegseth. He’s implemented the laws and the regulations that are relevant to the Department of War, and I think he’s doing a great job, and I trust that he’s making the right call on these issues.”

Carr added that ultimately we’re going to defer to Secretary Hegseth and his decisions on how to move forward with this.”

The last public state sanctioned public execution in the U.S. was in 1936 when the hanging of a Black man accused of rape drew a crowd of up to 20,000 in Kentucky. The only countries that now allow public viewing of executions include Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen, North Korea, and Somalia.

Vice President JD Vance on Friday expressed skepticism that the public execution would go forward adding that “I’m not going to be watching it.”

One Army officer told CNN that Hegseth’s plans are wrong and could cause lasting damage to the country’s military,

“It takes away everything America stands for when we do public executions,” he told told CNN. “The generational harm caused by allowing troops in uniform to stand in front of a man in a wheelchair and watch him get shot to death is irreparable.”

Republicans including Sen. John Curtis of Utah have also come out in opposition On a social media post, Curtis wrote that "a civilization erodes when it cultivates an appetite for executions as a form of entertainment."

President Trump on Saturday said that while he said Hasan deserves the death penalty, he hadn't made up his mind yet on allowing it.

“There are two thoughts: Don’t show it and show it, because you know by showing it, maybe other people won’t be doing what he did,” Trump told reporters outside the White House. “So I’ll make a decision ultimately. I know what the military would like to do, but we’ll make a decision.”

The papacy—which opposes the death penalty on moral grounds—weighed in on the news on Friday with Cardinal Parolin stating that such plans for a public execution are unacceptable. “It is truly incomprehensible that anyone would want to resort to this method in this day and age,” he said.

Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and George Whitesides (D-Calif.) have called for an investigation into President Donald Trump’s use of taxpayer funds to produce and distribute ads that promote the administration just weeks ahead of the midterm elections, Politico reported.

In a letter to the Government Accountability Office and the Office of Special Counsel, the congressmen asked the GAO to investigate the “source, accounts, and total amount of taxpayer funds used by the Executive Office of the President to produce and distribute this advertisement across major television markets and official White House social media channels.”

Raskin, currently the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee could potentially lead a Congressional investigation if Democrats take control of the House, which is widely expected next month.

In their letter, Whitesides and Raskin also asked the Office of Special Counsel to determine if the ads “paid for by millions of dollars of taxpayer funds, constitute a violation of the Hatch Act, and determine who should be held accountable.”

The ads, which began running on Sunday, promote what Trump calls his administration's “successes,” declaring that “America will never be a Communist country,” and end with the phrase “paid for by the U.S. government.”

“These ads constitute an illegal use of taxpayer funds, perhaps best demonstrated by the fact that they are virtually identical to the ones Donald Trump used during his 2024 presidential campaign, and in fact use the same footage and the same inept ideological messaging,” they wrote.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr dismissed such concerns over the ads. When asked about them this week during a press conference, the chairman said, “there’s nothing in there that strikes me as out of the ordinary or that would merit any sort of FCC review,” adding: “There are groups on the left that have long worked and pushed to weaponize the FCC’s license-renewal process. I’m sure they’ll do it again in the future. Again, with respect to these, they are normal PSAs that don’t raise any red flags.”

Several senators are accusing the administration of diverting $20 million from Customs and Border Protection to “bankroll the obscene political ads,” an accusation confirmed by an official and a top Republican senator to NBC News.

The White House also dismissed such concerns.

A spokesperson described them as “public service announcements,” despite the timing, saying such ads are a reminder to viewers “to love their country and understand what makes it worth defending, at home, at our borders, and abroad. The ad is educational and unapologetically patriotic. We should be proud of our country.”

The Walt Disney Company has issued a short statement saying that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will return to its standard late night time slot on ABC on Tuesday Sept. 23 after being “indefinitely” suspended last week by the network.

Last week Kimmel’s comments on the assassination of Charlie Kirk prompted severe criticism from FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who called Kimmel’s comments “sick” and threatened to remove broadcast licenses of affiliates who carried the show. Following Carr's comments, Nexstar and Sinclair ABC affiliates announced they would preempt it. ABC suspended the show soon thereafter.

Like last week’s statement, the Disney statement on resuming production was relatively brief. It did not address specifics about the incident and made no mention of whether all the ABC affiliates will resume airing the show.

“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” the statement said. “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”

Nexstar declined to comment on whether it will air the show when it returns or continue to preempt it.

In response to an inquiry from TV Tech, Sinclair said "beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting `Jimmy Kimmel Live!' across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return."

When the show was first suspended, Sinclair issued a statement that the FCC and ABC needed to take further action against Kimmel beyond simply suspending the program.

FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, who had called ABC's decision to suspend the show a “cowardly corporate capitulation” to threats from the FCC, applauded the decision to bring the show back.

“I am glad to see Disney find its courage in the face of clear government intimidation," Gomez said in a statement. "More importantly, I want to thank those Americans from across the ideological spectrum who spoke loudly and courageously against this blatant attempt to silence free speech. It will continue to be up to us as citizens to push back against this Administration’s growing campaign of censorship and control. As this FCC considers steps that would let the same billion-dollar media conglomerates that caved in to government pressure grow even bigger, we must combat these efforts to stifle free expression."

As Congress worked overtime to keep the federal government open this weekend, the Senate also unanimously voted to confirm Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to serve another term as commissioners on the FCC.

Carr, a Republican, has served as commissioner since 2017; Starks began his term as a Democratic commissioner in 2019. 

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released the following statement:

“Americans need a fully-equipped FCC that is ready to deliver on an agenda that puts consumers first. The agency cannot afford another deadlock or delay when it comes to expanding affordable broadband, protecting the security of our communications networks, driving innovative spectrum policies, and strengthening our local news. Today’s confirmation of Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr allows the FCC to have full membership and move forward.”

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel offered her congratulations on the approval. 

“I want to congratulate Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks on their unanimous confirmation by the Senate,” she said. "Brendan has been a dedicated public servant during his time at the FCC.  I look forward to continuing working together to find common ground, including on efforts to improve network resiliency and on critical national security matters.

“In addition, I want to congratulate Geoffrey for his ongoing commitment to public service and for his important contributions to the agency and its work. His invaluable insights at the Commission have helped us reach more communities through the Affordable Connectivity Program, and I'm excited to continue our successful partnerships to help more households remain connected. 

“With a complete Senate-confirmed Commission, the FCC is now ready to take on our full slate of work and fulfill our commitment to ensuring Americans everywhere have access to the best, most reliable communication services in the world.”

NAB also chimed in: 

"NAB congratulates Commissioners Starks and Carr on their Senate reconfirmations. Broadcasters value their commitment and leadership, and thank them for their work to ensure our ability to grow our life-line service to the benefit of viewers and listeners across the country. We are eager to continue working with Commissioners Starks and Carr, and the full Commission, to modernize policies that allow local broadcasters to best serve our communities."

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation has approved the nomination of Anna Gomez to be a Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission as well as the renomination of Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to additional terms as commissioners of the FCC. 

The move sends the three nominations to the full Senate for a vote that would break the two to two deadlock among Democratic and Republican appointees on the FCC. 

The Biden administration’s previous nomination Gigi Sohn for the fifth seat on the FCC never received a Senate vote. 

In her opening statement prior to the votes, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Committee said that the “FCC impacts nearly every part of our lives and domestic economy. Whether the agency is focused on improving wireless communications, ensuring robust broadband deployment, reviewing the media marketplace or protecting the nation from foreign threats. The FCC’s oversight ensures that today’s hyper-connected environment works for consumers.”

“Ms. Gomez is a dedicated public servant with 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry,” Cantwell also noted. “If confirmed, she will be the first Latina on the Commission in more than 20 years. Ms. Gomez has demonstrated she has the experience and judgment to be highly effective in this role as commissioner and has earned bipartisan support for her nomination.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a move that the White House hopes will break the deadlock on the FCC, President Joe Biden has announced that he will nominate Anna M. Gomez as a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission. 

The FCC has been deadlocked between two Democratic nominated commissioners and two Republican-nominated commissioners. Biden’s nomination of Gigi Sohn stalled in the Senate and she withdrew her name from consideration in March.  

Gomez will still have to be confirmed by the Senate before she can join the FCC. 

In the same announcement, Biden renominated Geoffrey Adam Starks for a second five year term as commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission and Brendan Carr for a second five year term. 

In a statement FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said, “I congratulate Anna Gomez on her nomination to serve as FCC Commissioner. She brings with her a wealth of telecommunications experience, a substantial record of public service, and a history of working to ensure the U.S. stays on the cutting edge of keeping us all connected.”

Anna M. Gomez is a telecommunications attorney with extensive experience in domestic and international communications law and policy. Gomez serves as a Senior Advisor for International Information and Communications Policy in the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy. Gomez served as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Deputy Administrator from 2009 to 2013. She also served for 12 years in various positions at the Federal Communications Commission, including as Deputy Chief of the International Bureau and as Senior Legal Advisor to then-Chairman William E. Kennard. Gomez also served briefly as Counsel on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Communication and as Deputy Chief of Staff of the National Economic Council during the Clinton Administration. Prior to joining the State Department in 2023, Gomez was a partner in Wiley LLP’s telecommunications media and technology group. Gomez also was Vice president for Federal and State Government Affairs at Sprint Nextel and an Associate at Arnold and Porter.

Born in Orlando, Florida, Gomez spent her childhood in Bogota, Colombia before her family relocated to New Jersey. She now resides in Virginia. Gomez earned her B.A. in Pre-Law from Pennsylvania State University and her J.D. from George Washington University Law School.

In a statement, NAB president and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said "NAB congratulates Anna Gomez on her nomination by President Biden to serve as an FCC Commissioner. Ms. Gomez possesses a wealth of experience in media and telecommunications, most notably from her service as acting administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration during the nation’s transition to digital television. With Next Gen TV launching in markets around the country, if confirmed, Ms. Gomez can bring her demonstrated ability to work with industry, manufacturers and consumers to help ensure a smooth and expeditious transition for millions of Americans.

“We applaud the Biden Administration’s ongoing commitment to diversity and are eager to work with all the Commissioners on policies that better enable the broadcast industry to reflect the diverse communities we serve," LeGeyt added. "NAB looks forward to the confirmation process and learning more about Ms. Gomez’s commitment to the critical services local television and radio stations provide to their communities."

“NAB also congratulates Commissioners Carr and Starks on their renominations," LeGeyt also said. "Both have demonstrated an appreciation for the importance of a vibrant local broadcast industry, and a willingness to roll up their sleeves to better understand the impact posed by today's changed competitive landscape.”

LAS VEGAS--A broad coalition of broadcast television station groups as well as public broadcasters announced at the NAB Show on Monday that ATSC 3.0 (aka Next Gen TV) will be rolled out in 40 U.S. markets by the end of 2020.

Subject to final engineering and required approvals, consents and FCC license modifications, the participating broadcasters have identified the first stations that will convert to ATSC 3.0 service in this rollout. Primary broadcast programming currently broadcast on the stations planning to upgrade will be hosted by other stations in their respective markets.

Station groups involved in the deployment include Fox Television Stations, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, Univision, Spectrum Co. (includes Sinclair) and members of the Pearl TV Group, a coalition of broadcasters and manufacturers testing ATSC 3.0 in the Phoenix Model Market.

Top 40 Markets where the first transitioning stations have been identified (ranked by population) include:

• Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
• Houston, TX
• San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Seattle-Tacoma, WA
• Detroit, MI
• Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, FL
• Portland, OR
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Raleigh-Durham, NC
• Baltimore, MD
• Nashville, TN
• Salt Lake City, UT
• San Antonio, TX
• Kansas City, KS-MO
• Columbus, OH
• West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL
• Las Vegas, NV
• Austin, TX

Work is now underway to identify Next-Gen TV stations in these Top 40 markets (ranked by population), with details to follow in the coming months:

• New York, NY
• Los Angeles, CA
• Chicago, IL
• Philadelphia, PA
• Washington, DC
• Boston, MA
• Atlanta, GA
• Tampa-St.Petersburg-Sarasota, FL
• Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN
• Miami - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• Denver, CO
• Cleveland-Akron, OH
• Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA
• St. Louis, MO
• Charlotte, NC
• Indianapolis, IN
• San Diego, CA
• Hartford-New Haven, CT
• Cincinnati, OH
• Milwaukee, WI
• Greenville-Spartanburg, SC - Asheville, NC

Additional TV markets where stations have been identified for Next-Gen TV service (ranked by population) include:

• Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA
• Oklahoma City, OK
• Albuquerque - Santa Fe, NM
• Grand Rapids - Kalamazoo, MI
• Memphis, TN
• Buffalo, NY
• Providence - New Bedford, RI
• Little Rock - Pine Bluff, AR
• Mobile, AL - Pensacola, FL
• Albany-Schenectady - Troy, NY
• Flint-Saginaw - Bay City, MI
• Omaha, NE
• Charleston - Huntington, WV
• Springfield, MO
• Rochester, NY
• Syracuse, NY
• Chattanooga, TN
• Charleston, SC
• Burlington, VT - Plattsburgh, NY
• Davenport, IA - Moline, IL
• Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - San Luis Obispo, CA

“America’s broadcasters are on the cusp of a revolution in television,” said Gordon Smith, NAB president. “The many companies invested in TV broadcasting are committed to better television service for both our viewers and for our advertisers.

There was also good news for consumers as Michael Bergman, vice president of technology and standards for the Consumer Technology Association noted that ATSC 3.0-enabled sets and devices are expected to hit the market by 2020.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr advocated for broadcasters to use ATSC 3.0 to innovate and better compete with telecommunications companies.

“It’s important that the FCC authorized broadcasters to start experimenting with ATSC 3.0, giving you the freedom to innovate—a freedom that your competitors and many others in the tech sector already enjoyed,” he said. “And when I think about the ways that broadcasters can use that freedom to innovate, one use case stands out to me: ATSC 3.0 as a new and competitive broadband pipe.”

For a comprehensive source of TV Technology’s ATSC 3.0 coverage, see ourATSC3 silo.