ABC has taken legal action against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on First Amendment grounds, escalating their conflict with the Trump administration. The lawsuit, filed by ABC and its parent company Disney, along with eight affected local stations, seeks to halt the early review of broadcast licenses ordered by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, an ally of President Trump. The review was initiated well before the licenses’ expiration, citing diversity practices, following a controversial joke by ABC’s late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel, a vocal Trump critic.
In response, ABC alleged that the administration’s actions posed an “existential threat” to its operations, pushing the network to seek judicial intervention to protect its First Amendment rights. The lawsuit highlighted previous clashes with the FCC, including efforts to subject the morning talk show “The View” to equal-time rules for its critical content on Trump.
The legal battle underscores broader implications beyond ABC, with concerns raised about government censorship and control over media content. FCC Democrat Anna Gomez praised ABC and Disney for challenging the FCC’s actions, accusing the agency of using license revocation threats to suppress unfavorable speech. Meanwhile, FCC Chairman Carr defended the agency’s actions, emphasizing broadcasters’ duty to operate in the public interest and uphold standards of journalism.
The FCC reiterated its stance on broadcasters’ obligations to serve the public interest, emphasizing ongoing investigations into diversity and inclusion practices at Disney. The commission vowed to continue pursuing matters in line with legal requirements, despite the legal challenge from ABC.