Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Friday launched an initiative nudging broadcasters to air content highlighting American “pride” during the country’s semiquincentennial.
Carr invited broadcasters to join the “Pledge America” campaign, encouraging them to air “pro-America content that celebrates the American journey and inspires its citizens by highlighting the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding” through contemporary times. Broadcasters can voluntarily choose to indicate their commitment to the campaign, according to the FCC.
“I am calling on broadcasters to pledge to provide programming that promotes civic education, national pride, and our shared history,” Carr said in a statement.
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The FCC chairman pointed to several examples of ways he said broadcasters could promote the celebration of 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Ideas include running short segments or full specials promoting civic education, local stories, and American history; incorporating segments during regular news programming that highlight local sites are significant to U.S. and regional history, such as National Park Service sites; starting each broadcast day with the “Star Spangled Banner” or Pledge of Allegiance; airing music by America’s greatest composers, such as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland, or George Gershwin; and airing daily “Today in American History” announcements noting key events that have taken place.
“This type of programming is more relevant than ever, as surveys show that civics education is in rapid decline. And classic programming such as Schoolhouse Rock! is now only found in online archives,” Carr said. “Broadcasters are uniquely positioned to help address these concerning developments by providing programming that celebrates the remarkable story of American Independence while also tailoring it to the specific needs of their local communities, in furtherance of their public interest obligations.”
2026 is the United States’s semiquincentennial year, marking 250 years since Thomas Jefferson and other founders signed the Declaration of Independence, which is viewed as one of the most important documents in history.
Washington is marking the milestone in a number of ways, with President Donald Trump emphasizing his love of sports in programming for the occasion. A historic IndyCar race is set to take place in the country’s capital city this summer, in addition to a UFC fight at the White House.
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Freedom 250, the task force spearheaded by Trump, is overseeing the IndyCar race, among other semiquincentennial initiatives. America 250, an entity created by Congress, is also overseeing an array of events.
“This is not just about a big fireworks show on July 4, 2026,” America 250 chairwoman Rosie Rios said. “This milestone gives us an opportunity to reflect on our past and what we want to be 250 years from now. It’s a chance for all of us to ask, ‘What is the spirit of America?’ And to me, a few ideas capture the essence of the American spirit, but none better than the spirit of America focused on service. Public service is part of the fabric of our nation.”
