Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr launched an investigation on Thursday into Verizon’s diversity practices and also examined the company’s efforts to acquire Frontier Communications.
Carr, a Republican appointed by President Donald Trump, had previously initiated a similar probe into the diversity, equity, and inclusion programs of Comcast earlier this month. Verizon is currently seeking FCC approval for its $9.6 billion acquisition of Frontier.
Carr stated, “To assist the FCC in resolving these issues, please contact the agency staff who have been involved in reviewing Verizon’s pending transactions. These are the FCC personnel most familiar with Verizon’s operations due to their involvement in the merger review process.”
Carr expressed criticism towards Verizon for its ongoing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
In response, Verizon stated, “We are aware of the chairman’s concerns and look forward to discussing this matter with the FCC staff. Verizon has always prioritized having the best talent to provide the best experiences for our customers.”
In a letter to Comcast earlier this month, Carr stated that the FCC would take “new action to ensure that all entities regulated by the commission comply with the civil rights protections outlined in the Communications Act… including by ending any programs that promote harmful forms of DEI.”
Shortly after taking office on January 20, Trump, who appointed Carr as chair, issued broad executive orders aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the United States and encouraged the private sector to follow suit.
Carr is also investigating several media companies.
The FCC is currently reviewing whether a CBS News “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris violates rules on “news distortion.”
Paramount is seeking approval from the FCC for its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.
In January, Carr revived complaints regarding how ABC News, owned by Walt Disney, handled the pre-election TV debate between then-President Joe Biden and Trump, as well as NBC allowing Harris to appear on “Saturday Night Live” before the election.
The FCC, an independent federal agency, grants eight-year licenses to individual broadcast stations, not to entire networks.