Trump’s FCC weighs whether to flag shows with trans or non-binary ‘programming’

Statement on TV ratings system says disclosure is needed for children’s programs that include ‘gender identity issues’ The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is launching a new inquiry into the TV ratings system, including whether content related to gender identity is not adequately flagged for parents, in the latest warning shot to broadcasters from the agency headed by the Trump loyalist Brendan Carr. The new proceeding, announced on Wednesday, asks for public comment on the transparency of the TV Oversight Management Board, which oversees the rating system and guidelines. That system was developed after Congress passed a law in 1996, leading to the creation of numerous ratings such as TV-Y, for programs deemed appropriate for all children, and TV-MA, for mature audiences. The so-called “industry voluntary rating system” is used by broadcast networks overseen by the FCC, as well as cable, satellite and streaming services, which are not subject to the same guidelines. In its public notice of the new inquiry, the FCC singled out non-binary and transgender topics as an issue of concern. According to the agency’s media bureau, “parents have raised concerns that con