Fastrack · FCC Warns Broadcasters Against Airing Fake Polls

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr warned broadcasters Wednesday against airing fake election polls. He said such broadcasts could breach federal license rules on news distortion and hoaxes.

Wedgewood Polls admitted Tuesday it fabricated data in races nationwide.
15 Wedgewood surveys were pulled from The New York Times poll tracker.
Wedgewood confessed only after questions from the polling site FiftyPlusOne.
Median Strategies admitted to fabricating polls earlier this year.

Why it matters: Carr said fake and suppression polls aim to distort turnout and enthusiasm. He faulted journalists for amplifying them without noting they lacked a real basis.

Michigan Democrat Mallory McMorrow said a Wedgewood poll dried up her donations.
FCC distortion rules require deliberate falsification, not ordinary errors.

The story so far

3 steps · since Oct 20

Oct 207:51 PMReport: Media-Used Pollster Scrambles Amid Looming Investigation2 sources
Oct 2011:35 PMAnother Media-Used Pollster Announces Its Polls Are Fake27 sources
Oct 21FCC Warns Broadcasters Against Airing Fake PollsYou are hereLatest

How 13 sources split on this story

Source landscape

Factuality

High

Mixed

Low

Strong LeftLeftLean LeftCenterLean RightRightStrong Right

Political Bias

Coverage by lean% of 13 sources

13 sources · 13 articles · 62% Left coverage

Where they split: The dispute is whether Carr is policing fabricated data or using licensing power to pressure coverage of polls unfavorable to President Trump.

Center3 sources

Deadline6hFCC Chairman Warns Broadcasters That Airing “Fake Polls” Could Run Afoul Of “Regulatory Obligations”Forbes6hFCC’s Brendan Carr Warns Broadcast Networks Run Afoul Of Agency For Airing ‘Fake Polls’NOTUS2hFCC Chair Warns Broadcasters Not to Use ‘Fake Polls’ - The Washington Sun

Left coverage, 8 sources: The left sees a Trump-appointed regulator implying broadcasters cannot report unflattering polls, citing critics who argue the hoax rule does not apply.

AlterNet6hTrump FCC tells networks they’re prohibited from reporting 'fake polls'Daily Kos52mTrump’s FCC crony threatens outlets that air GOP’s bad polling Gizmodo6hAs Trump's Popularity Plunges, FCC Head Threatens Networks That Broadcast 'Fake Polls'Political Wire3hFCC Chair Warns Networks Over Airing ‘Fake Polls’Politico6hBrendan Carr takes up Trump’s ‘fake polls’ fight Raw Story6hAlarm as FCC chair threatens broadcast licenses over 'fake polls': 'Upset dear leader'The New Republic5hFCC Threatens News Networks as Every Poll Predicts Disaster for GOP Truthout4hFCC Chair Brendan Carr Threatens Broadcasters Over Poll Coverage

Right coverage, 2 sources: The right sees a warranted response to admitted poll fabrication that misled media and voters and damaged at least one campaign.

Legal Insurrection6hFCC Warns Broadcasters Against Airing Fake Polls After Pollster Admits Fabricating Data Washington Examiner7hFCC head Brendan Carr targets broadcasters for airing false polls

What’s next: Carr said broadcasters may add context about polls they already aired. He did not announce any investigation.

The policy does not reach cable, newspapers, streaming or social media.
Will the FCC open proceedings against any specific broadcaster?
How will aggregators and outlets vet new pollsters before the midterms?