ABC filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the FCC over its broadcast licenses
ABC sued the FCC, alleging retaliation for editorial decisions and challenging accelerated license renewals.Summary
Disney's ABC filed a First Amendment lawsuit in federal court against the FCC, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, and commissioners Olivia Trusty and Anna Gomez, alleging a retaliatory campaign targeting the network for its editorial decisions and news coverage. The suit seeks to halt the FCC's accelerated license renewal process for eight Disney-owned stations in major markets (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia), which were moved to require early renewals in April 2024, years ahead of the original October 2028 deadline. ABC claims the FCC's actions stem from political pressure, citing Trump's demand to fire Jimmy Kimmel and the agency's investigation into Disney's DEI practices and whether ABC's 'The View' qualifies for equal-time exemptions. The company argues the FCC's proceedings constitute unconstitutional government pressure to control programming, forcing ABC to consider self-censorship. A bipartisan group of former FCC officials has opposed the license review, calling it a violation of the Communications Act and Constitution. The FCC has not yet responded to requests for comment.
(Source：Quartz)