FCC Seeks Dismissal of Disney Lawsuit Over ABC Broadcast Licenses

The Federal Communications Commission has asked a court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Disney and to allow the agency to proceed with a review that could result in the nonrenewal of ABC broadcast licenses. Disney filed the lawsuit on August 18, alleging that the FCC is conducting a campaign of censorship to retaliate against ABC for speech disliked by President Trump. The FCC has defended its early license review of eight ABC stations, stating the proceeding is strictly about allegations of unlawful discrimination regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. While FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has previously threatened ABC over political content on The View and jokes by Jimmy Kimmel, the FCC claims the current review is unrelated to those matters. Two watchdog groups and individual viewers are seeking to intervene in the case, expressing concern that Disney might reach a settlement with the FCC that does not serve the public interest. Disney has opposed this motion. A center leaning source frames the event as a conflict between the Trump administration and media freedom, noting that the President has continued to demand punishments for journalists. A center right leaning source frames the broader context as a historical trade where the broadcasting industry exchanged FCC oversight for free spectrum.