Disney's ABC files early broadcast licenses renewal 'under protest' against the FCC
ABC says the FCC’s unprecedented order could weaken independent journalism and leave viewers with less accountability reporting.
- On Thursday, ABC filed early license renewal applications for its eight owned local TV stations "under protest," accusing the Federal Communications Commission of issuing an "unlawful, arbitrary, and unconstitutional" order.
- FCC Chairman Brendan Carr ordered the accelerated renewals while investigating Disney's diversity practices, yet critics argue the timing signals political retaliation following late-night host Jimmy Kimmel's comments about First Lady Melania Trump.
- Disney argued the FCC "had not demanded early renewal in over five decades," stating the order has "no legitimate purpose" and is "plainly incompatible with the First Amendment."
- FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the agency's sole Democrat, denounced the reviews as an "egregious assault on the First Amendment," urging broadcasters to "stiffen their spine" against regulatory retaliation.
- Legal experts anticipate a protracted court battle over the filings, raising concerns that broadcasters may weigh regulatory retaliation before making editorial decisions, effectively chilling editorial independence.
81 Articles
81 Articles
ABC challenges FCC license review as unconstitutional assault on free press
Disney-owned ABC submitted license renewal applications for its eight broadcast television stations to the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday, but declared it was doing so "under protest," calling the agency's order "unlawful, arbitrary and unconstitutional."
FCC Action Against ABC Is A Threat To Free Speech, Says Disney
“The order is inconsistent with a legitimate exercise of investigative authority and is plainly incompatible with the First Amendment,” Disney said in its Thursday filing. Carr has insisted the early renewal order is strictly about DEI. – The Wall Street Journal
'Quiet part out loud': Expert says 'yapping' will get Trump chief 'in legal trouble'
President Donald Trump's administration is threatening the ABC network and ABC is gearing up for a major fight. And one legal expert warns that Trump and members of his administration tend to get into legal trouble by bragging or "yapping" in public.The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) went after ABC in April, demanding that several local networks reapply for their broadcast licenses years in advance. On Thursday afternoon, ABC submitted …
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