Disney Sues FCC Over Broadcast License Investigation
The Walt Disney Company has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to an investigation into its ABC local station broadcast licenses. The FCC is trying to strip away these licenses, but analysts believe this effort is more about shaking things up than actually taking away the licenses.
The FCC's focus appears to be on news and commentary content, particularly on shows like 'The View', which aired a guest who was a Democratic candidate for Texas state representative. The equal time rule, traditionally limited to advertising availability, may be expanded by the FCC to include news programming, late-night entertainment shows, and daytime discussion programs.
However, Ross Benes, an analyst at eMarketer, points out that younger generations are not watching broadcast TV as much as older viewers. He argues that President Trump's efforts demonstrate a lack of understanding about how younger people consume media, which is increasingly through streaming services like YouTube and other digital platforms.