ABC, owned by Walt Disney Co., has submitted applications to renew its licenses for eight local TV stations, but is formally objecting to a recent FCC decision. The FCC is requiring these renewals a year earlier than usual.
The complaints were included in documents the network submitted to the FCC for review, which were filed before Thursday’s deadline. Disney’s New York station, WABC, strongly protested the early renewal, calling the FCC’s decision “unlawful, arbitrary, and unconstitutional” and claiming it had no legal basis.
The station argued in its filing that the Commission hadn’t requested a license renewal this quickly in over fifty years. It also stated that the Commission had never before required a group of stations owned by a network to all apply for renewal at the same time, and that this current request serves no valid purpose.
Hollywood Inc.
The Walt Disney Co. owned network’s salvo sets the stage for a 1st Amendment fight
The operating licenses for ABC’s eight television stations, including KABC in Los Angeles, were set to expire between 2028 and 2031.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took action soon after Jimmy Kimmel, host of a late-night show on ABC, made a joke about First Lady Melania Trump. The joke, suggesting she looked like a “pregnant widow,” was made just days before someone attempted to force their way into the White House Correspondents’ Association gala, an event President Trump attended last month.
As a strong believer in free speech, I was really concerned when I heard about the FCC taking action based on Trump’s complaints about certain TV stations. He’s often hinted at punishing stations he doesn’t like, but this is the first time they’ve actually done something about it. It’s especially troubling because the FCC is framing this as an investigation into Disney’s diversity policies, claiming they might be discriminatory. It just feels like a way to silence critical voices and it’s really worrying for anyone who values a free press.
WABC stated the order was likely issued solely to penalize the station for expressing views the government disagreed with.
WABC stated that the real harm isn’t to the station itself, but to the public. They explained that when a news organization fears punishment from regulators before reporting a story, it compromises independent journalism and prevents the public from getting unbiased information.
According to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Disney only submitted its applications to renew its broadcast licenses after being informed that its initial responses were dishonest, incomplete, and unacceptable.
Commissioner Carr disputed Disney’s statement that the FCC unnecessarily initiated early renewal of their broadcast licenses. He explained that broadcasters have a responsibility to serve the public interest, and the FCC will base its decisions on the facts and legal standards.
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2026-05-29 02:01