Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, has ordered an investigation into the diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Comcast, the parent company of NBC News and Universal Studios.
In a letter sent to Brian Roberts, Comcast’s chairman, on Tuesday, Mr. Carr said that the F.C.C. would look into D.E.I. practices broadly at many companies it regulates, starting with Comcast.
“I want to ensure that your companies are not promoting invidious forms of discrimination in violation of F.C.C. regulations and civil rights laws,” Mr. Carr said in his letter.
Comcast confirmed it had received Mr. Carr’s letter.
“We have received an inquiry from the Federal Communications Commission and will be cooperating with the F.C.C. to answer their questions,” Jennifer Khoury, a spokeswoman for Comcast, said in a statement. “For decades, our company has been built on a foundation of integrity and respect for all of our employees and customers.”
Greg Watson, a spokesman for Mr. Carr, did not respond to a request for comment.
The investigation into Comcast is the latest in a series of moves by Mr. Carr to bring media companies under regulatory scrutiny. Appointed chairman of the F.C.C. in November by President Trump, Mr. Carr has ordered investigations into PBS and NPR, examined an interview that “60 Minutes” conducted with former Vice President Kamala Harris and announced an inquiry into the San Francisco radio station KCBS for its coverage of immigration enforcement actions.
While Mr. Carr has ordered investigations into several media entities, the inquiry into Comcast is the first probe focused solely on D.E.I. His investigation into PBS and NPR focused on corporate sponsorships of news programming, and his inquiry at CBS News is focused on a “news distortion” complaint. Mr. Carr said in his letter he was starting his D.E.I. push with Comcast because the company covers “a range of sectors regulated by the F.C.C.,” including cable and high-speed internet.
Tom Wheeler, the former chairman of the F.C.C., said in an interview that the recent investigations by the agency fit into a pattern of using the commission’s power to further Mr. Trump’s political agenda.
“It’s clear that what is going on here is — whether it be Comcast and D.E.I. or NPR and PBS, or CBS and the ‘60 Minutes’ interview — is how can you use the coercive authority of regulation to accomplish the goals of your master and mentor, Donald Trump?” Mr. Wheeler said.
Anna Gomez, a Democratic commissioner on the F.C.C., said in a statement in response to Mr. Carr’s investigation into Comcast that the commission should not stoke “partisan culture wars”
“It is time we return to our core mission — closing the digital divide, fostering innovation, and protecting consumers,” Ms. Gomez said.
