The chair of the Federal Communications Commission has sent a letter to Google calling for a briefing by the company regarding concerns that YouTube TV “discriminates against faith-based programming.”
Brendan Carr explained in a post on X that he had received complaints from broadcasters about the issue, adding: “These concerning allegations come at a time when American public discourse has experienced an unprecedented — and unacceptable — surge in censorship.”
“I’m asking Google for answers,” he added in the post, which included a copy of his letter.
In the letter, addressed to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, Carr points to a complaint by one broadcaster, Great American Media, which claims that YouTube TV “refuses to carry” one of its networks.
Carr pointed out that the FCC currently has restricted authority over virtual multichannel video programming distributors such as YouTube TV, but that the agency is reviewing whether it should expand its regulations to include such distributors.
The chairman notes that Google has benefited from Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which “shields” online platforms from accountability for what their users share on the sites. Carr added that he wants to limit tech company protections.
“In the case of YouTube TV, concerns have been raised alleging that your company has a policy (secret or otherwise) that discriminates against faith-based programming,” Carr stated in the letter.
“As an example, Great American Media wrote a letter to me in which they claim that YouTube TV deliberately marginalizes faith-based and family-friendly content,” he added.
I have received complaints that Google’s @YouTubeTV is discriminating against faith-based programming.
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) March 7, 2025
These concerning allegations come at a time when American public discourse has experienced an unprecedented—and unacceptable—surge in censorship.
I’m asking Google for answers pic.twitter.com/jmFvMM3VS5
Carr noted that, according to Great American Media, its Great American Family network is the “second fastest-growing channel in cable television and, while they are carried on a range of cable and streaming services … YouTube TV refuses to carry them.”
In “too many cases, tech companies silenced individuals for doing nothing more than expressing themselves and in the digital town square,” Carr claimed.
Carr instructed Mohan and Pichai to brief the commission on the negotiations process regarding which networks are carried on YouTube TV, “including the potential role of viewpoint-based discrimination.”
A YouTube spokesperson told The Verge in response to Carr’s letter: “We welcome the opportunity to brief the FCC on YouTube TV’s subscription service and the strategic business decisions we make based on factors like user demand, operational cost and financial terms, and to reiterate that we do not have any policies that prohibit religious content.”
Great American Media already has a significant presence on YouTube with channels such as Pure Flix and Great American Family.
Google has also been subpoenaed by Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, who has asked whether YouTube removed videos following entreaties from the Biden administration.
