ABC submitted a sharply worded filing to the Federal Communications Commission this week, accusing the agency of retaliating against the network by calling for early license renewal reviews of eight Disney-owned stations. The Disney-owned ABC stations argue the accelerated process is a direct response to the Trump administration's displeasure with network programming, particularly late-night host Jimmy Kimmel's criticism of the president.
The FCC, under Chairman Brendan Carr, moved to review the licenses of stations KFSN-TV in Fresno, KABC-TV in Los Angeles, KGO-TV in San Francisco, WLS-TV in Chicago, WABC-TV in New York, WTVD in Durham, WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, and KTRK-TV in Houston. These licenses were originally set to be renewed between 2028 and 2031, but the commission expedited the process, requiring the stations to demonstrate they have operated in the public interest. The filing is part of a broader investigation into Disney's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.
In its legal brief, ABC called the commission's action unprecedented and retaliatory. “There is no question why the Commission is singling out these eight stations: Each is owned by ABC, and the Administration has openly and repeatedly called for the revocation of ABC’s licenses, because it dislikes the content and viewpoints expressed on ABC network programs,” the network's legal team wrote. ABC noted that more than 140,000 comments were submitted from local communities, with over 95 percent supporting the stations. Supporters included individual viewers, local police and firefighters, charities, businesses, and schools, spanning the ideological spectrum.
ABC insisted that the FCC “has spent the last 18 months searching for some pretext for revoking the Stations’ licenses” but “has found none, because the Stations easily meet the standard for license renewal.” The network warned that the action sends a chilling signal to the entire media industry. “The retaliation against ABC is a signal to every media company in the country: accommodate the Administration’s view of what news coverage should look like or pay the price,” the filing stated. ABC further argued that even if any violation of DEI rules were found, the commission has a range of graduated remedies far short of the “corporate death penalty of license non-renewal.”
The FCC defended its review, with a spokesperson stating that broadcasters receive free use of public airwaves worth billions of dollars and must operate in the public interest, not in the narrow or partisan interests of a political party. “Broadcasters know that they are prohibited from engaging in invidious forms of DEI discrimination, that they must comply with political equal opportunity regulations and that they are barred from running broadcast hoaxes or distorting the news,” the spokesperson said. “The FCC is going to hold broadcasters accountable to the full extent of the law, regardless of any disinformation campaign that some of them may choose to run.”
The conservative watchdog group Media Research Center, which had previously filed a petition supporting the early review, doubled down on its stance. MRC President David Bozell said that ABC’s defense boils down to “trust us,” adding that Americans do not trust the media because confidence is at historic lows. “Our filing is not based on hurt feelings or political disagreement. It is based on documented conduct. We look forward to the FCC reviewing the facts rather than the distractions,” Bozell said.
The dispute reflects ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and ABC, particularly over Kimmel’s monologues and the daytime talk show “The View.” Earlier this year, first lady Melania Trump called for Kimmel to be fired after a controversial joke. The FCC has also launched a probe into “The View” and Carr recently criticized ABC for declining to air a Trump primetime address on linear television. The outcome of the license renewal process could have broad implications for media regulation and the relationship between broadcasters and the federal government.
