Carr and Blackburn Talk Payola, Spectrum Authority on Podcast
The FCC’s investigation of iHeartMedia over payola (see 2502240070) was sparked by requests made to Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., by “musicians and band members,” she told FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Friday's episode of her podcast, Unmuted With Marsha. “In Tennessee, we've got a lot of people that play in bands and spend a lot of time on the road,” said Blackburn, who, in part, represents country music center Nashville. She responded to the request by sending a letter to Carr, who, in turn, sent one to iHeart. “A radio station can't secretly exchange free performances from musicians or bands in exchange for better airplay on the radio,” Carr said. “And the evidence we've seen suggests that in fact, that has been happening significantly.” Blackburn said, “To some of the band members for the big-name musicians, expenses is one thing, but payment for the show is another.”
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On the podcast, Carr praised President Donald Trump for “embarking on a wholesale change of the way Washington works” that has “energized” the FCC. “There's a new vigor with what we're doing,” he said. Carr also said he's confident that the FCC will have its spectrum auction authority restored and that the agency could act on limiting the liability protections for tech companies from Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. “One of the things that we are doing, and that President Trump is doing, is restoring free speech, because when people feel free to speak about words, they feel free to speak about ideas, and that leads to innovation,” Carr said. “That's part of why you feel this wet blanket lifting over the country as people feel like they can talk again.”