ABC Accuses FCC of Threatening 8 TV Licenses as Early Renewal Fight Escalates
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 28
ABC Accuses FCC of Threatening 8 TV Licenses as Early Renewal Fight Escalates
9 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 28
ABC told the FCC its demand for early renewal applications for eight stations amounts to “unconstitutional retaliation and coercion,” and said it filed only under duress.
The network said the April order came years before the licenses expire and shortly after Donald Trump and Melania Trump called for Jimmy Kimmel’s firing over an on-air joke.
Brendan Carr denied any link to Kimmel, saying the agency acted because ABC and Disney were not fully cooperating with an FCC investigation into diversity and inclusion policies and possible nondiscrimination violations.
The filing sets up a high-profile clash between the Trump administration and one of the oldest U.S. broadcasters over free speech, censorship and political bias.
What precedent is set if a broadcaster's corporate policies, like DEI, become grounds for challenging its license to operate?
When does government oversight of media cross the line from regulation into a 'chilling effect' on free speech?
With streaming's rise, is the 1927 law governing TV broadcasters' free speech obligations now obsolete and in need of reform?
ABC’s 8 Local TV Licenses Under FCC Scrutiny After Trump-Kimmel Clash: Disney Mounts First Amendment Defense
Overview
In May 2026, ABC filed early license renewal applications 'under protest' with the FCC after a heated public feud erupted between former President Donald Trump and ABC’s late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel, following a controversial joke about Melania Trump. The White House responded with strong criticism, and soon after, the FCC ordered a review of ABC’s licenses, issuing a public notice about broadcasters’ 'public interest' obligations just hours before ABC’s filings. Critics argue this sequence of events suggests the FCC’s actions were a direct response to political pressure, raising serious concerns about press freedom and government overreach.