FCC’s Brendan Carr to Brief GOP Lawmakers on George Soros’s Investment in Local Radio

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr is expected to provide a high-level update on the agency’s ongoing scrutiny of billionaire investor George Soros’s growing influence over local radio broadcasting. According to recent reports, Carr is scheduled to address members of the Republican Study Committee—a coalition of 175 House Republicans—during their annual closed-door luncheon on Wednesday.

Carr’s appearance is set against the backdrop of increasing GOP concern over Soros’s financial backing of an investment firm that recently acquired a major share in Audacy, one of the largest radio station operators in the United States. The firm purchased over 200 radio stations, raising alarm among conservatives who view the move as a strategic attempt to reshape the media landscape ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Sources familiar with the meeting say Carr will not only discuss the FCC’s role in reviewing the acquisition but will also highlight broader concerns about media consolidation and alleged left-leaning bias in traditional broadcasting. He is also expected to present strategies that Republican lawmakers might pursue to counterbalance what they perceive as growing liberal dominance in the radio sector.

This situation has captured the attention of several high-profile GOP leaders, including House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY). The two lawmakers previously announced a probe into how the FCC, under the Biden administration, approved the controversial transaction involving Soros Fund Management and Audacy.

A key point of contention is the level of foreign ownership in the investment firm tied to Soros. U.S. law requires heightened scrutiny of media deals involving more than 25% foreign investment. In past testimony before the House Oversight Committee, Carr criticized the FCC’s approach, suggesting that the agency may be bypassing long-established review processes.

“We have a clear, structured framework for how foreign ownership issues should be evaluated,” Carr told lawmakers. “In this case, it looks like the FCC is considering an unprecedented shortcut, which could set a troubling precedent.”

According to Carr, the transaction in question exceeds the legal threshold for foreign ownership, yet appears to be moving forward without undergoing the full statutory process. That deviation, he argues, raises questions about regulatory transparency and political favoritism.

The FCC’s decision to approve the acquisition shortly before the 2024 presidential election has only intensified GOP concerns. In a letter to former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Comer and Langworthy accused the agency of fast-tracking the process in order to benefit Soros. The lawmakers warned that this move could allow the Democratic megadonor to exert influence over hundreds of local radio outlets in crucial swing markets across the country.

“This isn’t just about regulatory procedure,” their letter stated. “It’s about whether federal agencies are being weaponized to enable partisan control of the media in an election year.”

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) also weighed in, writing a letter in April expressing deep reservations about the deal. Roy highlighted the $415 million debt acquisition by Soros Fund Management as a concerning effort to assume control over a vast media network through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring.

Roy noted that the investment group had asked the FCC to skip the standard foreign ownership review, which he believes would expedite the approval process and allow Soros to take control of the stations faster. “This fast-track approach is not only legally questionable—it’s politically dangerous,” Roy argued.

The FCC’s formal approval of the purchase, announced just weeks before the national election, enables Soros’s affiliated firm to reach an estimated 165 million Americans through more than 200 stations in 40 major media markets.

Critics within the GOP warn that such consolidation could pave the way for politically motivated content shifts, potentially shaping public opinion during a critical election cycle. Comer and Langworthy have further argued that Soros has historically backed organizations promoting online censorship of conservative voices, raising fears that a similar trend could emerge across terrestrial radio platforms.

They caution that Soros’s increasing involvement in traditional broadcast media represents a calculated move to influence public discourse at scale, particularly by acquiring outlets that reach local and rural audiences traditionally underserved by mainstream progressive media.

As Carr prepares to meet with Republican lawmakers, it’s clear that the intersection of media ownership, political influence, and regulatory oversight will remain a central issue heading into the 2024 election.