FCC Chairman Brendan Carr issued a warning to broadcasters on October 21 about airing fabricated or manipulative election polls. He stated that such practices could violate their federal license obligations, especially with the midterm elections approaching. Carr highlighted a surge in fake and suppression polls designed to disrupt the electoral process and influence voter turnout. He expressed concern that many journalists and broadcasters are amplifying these polls without adhering to journalistic ethics or disclosing their lack of scientific basis. The FCC takes these issues seriously, as broadcasters are prohibited from news distortion or promoting broadcast hoaxes by their licenses. Carr emphasized that broadcasters must fulfill their public interest obligations to ensure Americans can trust the media. He advised broadcasters to refrain from airing polls that violate their regulatory duties, suggesting they can add context consistent with FCC regulations if necessary. This warning came shortly after a group named Wedgewood Polling admitted to fabricating poll data as an experiment to test media scrutiny. Wedgewood Polling revealed their surveys, often lacking real data, were included in averages by outlets like The New York Times. Carr has a history of invoking the public-interest standard, having previously threatened license revocation for false reporting on the Iran war. He also addressed equal-time obligations for political candidates on television programs. Carr has reinstated complaints regarding election coverage, asserting that licensed broadcasters using public airwaves have unique public interest obligations. The FCC's authority over news content is limited, focusing on deliberate distortion rather than mere opinion or accidental errors.