Disney Seeks Court Intervention to Block FCC Review of ABC Licenses
A U.S. federal judge will hold a hearing on Tuesday to consider Walt Disney's request to temporarily block the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from advancing an early review of licenses for eight ABC-owned television stations. Disney filed a lawsuit in August, arguing that the FCC's actions violate broadcasters' First Amendment rights. The case centers on license reviews ordered before the stations were due for renewal, which Disney claims is an attempt to retaliate against the network for refusing to comply with the administration's demands.
The FCC has agreed to provide the court with at least 48 hours' notice before taking any action on the ABC licenses. The hearing will determine whether a temporary restraining order should be issued to halt the FCC's review process. Disney alleges that the FCC is retaliating against ABC for its programming, which has been criticized by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has publicly called for broadcasters to drop certain programs and urged the FCC to revoke station licenses over programming content.
The early license reviews were ordered by FCC Chair Brendan Carr in April, despite the ABC stations' license renewals not being scheduled until October 2028. Carr has stated that no decisions have been made about how to proceed. The FCC had not ordered an early review of this type in over 50 years before April. Critics argue that the possibility of losing a license could pressure broadcasters, although this remains a contested viewpoint.
The FCC is also investigating ABC's daytime program 'The View' over potential violations of federal rules requiring broadcasters to provide equal opportunities to political candidates. Disney claims the FCC's actions are part of a 'pressure campaign' aimed at influencing the network's programming. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel previously stated that FCC threats prevented the broadcast of his interview with a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, which was instead published on YouTube.