With Kimmel under fire, FCC moves to review ABC’s TV station licenses

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The government agency that regulates television, the Federal Communications Commission, may take a look at Disney’s broadcast licenses sooner than scheduled. This is happening because some people have criticized Jimmy Kimmel, who hosts a late-night show on ABC, for making controversial jokes before the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

Semafor was the first to report that a decision is expected soon, potentially as early as Tuesday. The licenses for ABC’s television stations, including KABC in Los Angeles, weren’t up for renewal until 2028, making this review unexpected.

Disney has not commented on the possibility of a review.

It appears a decision regarding ABC programming was already planned before the recent controversy involving Jimmy Kimmel. Kimmel is facing criticism for a comedic segment that poked fun at the Washington gala attended by Donald Trump. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who has previously scrutinized the political discussions on ABC’s “The View,” indicated to The Times on Saturday that an announcement about ABC’s programming would be made this week.

Michael Carr believes the talk show “The View” shouldn’t be excused from rules requiring broadcasters to give equal airtime to opposing political candidates, ensuring fair and balanced coverage.

Just hours before a security breach shut down a Saturday dinner, attendee Carr made a comment about the event. The incident involved Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, who was arrested after entering the Washington Hilton armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives. Allen faces three criminal charges, including attempted assassination of President Trump.

Conservative commentators are frequently suggesting that a Jimmy Kimmel segment motivated the actions of the individual involved.

On his show Thursday, Jimmy Kimmel, dressed in a tuxedo, complimented First Lady Melania Trump, but then made a joke comparing her to ‘an expectant widow.’ He explained on Monday that the comment was meant to highlight the significant age gap between her and President Trump.

Kimmel explained it was a gentle joke referencing the age difference – he’s nearing 80, while she’s younger than his own age. He firmly stated it was absolutely not a threat or encouragement of violence, and that those making that claim know it wasn’t.

Since becoming head of the FCC last year, Carr has often hinted he’d use his authority to penalize TV and radio stations that criticize Trump. This has worried free speech groups, and even FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the agency’s only Democrat, who points out that early reviews of station licenses are unusual and generally don’t accomplish much.

World & Nation

News cameras quickly arrived at the Washington Hilton after gunshots were reported, turning what should have been a celebratory event into a night of reporting for journalists.

Gomez called the action “unprecedented, unlawful, and ultimately unsuccessful.” He described it as a purely political move that won’t hold up in court, and encouraged businesses to directly challenge it, citing First Amendment protections.

It’s not uncommon for White House administrations to try and use TV station licenses to respond to news they don’t like. For example, during the Watergate scandal in the 1970s, supporters of President Nixon tried—but failed—to revoke the licenses of three television stations then owned by The Washington Post.

In 1987, RKO General, which was owned by General Tire and Rubber Co., was the last company to have its broadcast TV licenses revoked. This included their Los Angeles station, KHJ. The reason for losing the licenses wasn’t related to what was being shown on the stations, but rather to improper business practices within the company itself.

It took seven years to officially cancel the RKO licenses, starting from the date the FCC approved the cancellation.

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2026-04-28 21:34