Disney Sues FCC Over Early License Renewal Process

The Walt Disney Company and ABC have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in an attempt to stop an early license renewal process that they claim is an attack on free speech by the Trump administration.

The FCC ordered Disney's eight owned-and-operated television stations to file their broadcast license renewals ahead of schedule, with licenses not due for renewal until 2028 at the earliest. The move comes amid a probe into ABC's 'The View' program and a long-running investigation into diversity, equity and inclusion practices at Disney.

Disney owns TV stations in markets such as Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, with all eight of its owned ABC stations part of the lawsuit. The company argues that the FCC action is an 'existential threat' and claims that the Trump administration has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for disapproving of what it broadcasts.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr argued in July that the orders to Disney and ABC were about operating in 'the public interest,' rather than retaliation. However, Disney and ABC have pointed out that the early license renewal process is unprecedented and allows only 30 days to file applications that usually take months to prepare.