Story perspectives

FCC Commissioner Warns Disney of $15 M Settlement, ABC License Review

5/12/2026

Summary

Gomez Warns Disney

On May 11 2026, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Anna M. Gomez warned Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro of a censorship campaign.
She said Disney and ABC paid $15 million to settle President Donald Trump's suit and faced FCC complaints over 2024 Trump-Harris debate and a “The View” probe.
She noted a license review of eight ABC stations, calling it the most egregious First Amendment assault and urging Disney to choose courage.

Summary

Carr Revives Probes

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr revived news-bias complaints and opened diversity probes at Comcast and Disney.
Carr condemned NBC’s coverage of the Kilmar Abrego Garcia controversy.
Conservatives said the FCC opened comment on a Fox station license in 2023.
The comment followed Fox News’s $787 million settlement of a lawsuit over voting-machine misrepresentations.
The FCC reiterated that Congress requires equal-time for qualified political candidates on broadcast programs.

Summary

FCC Orders Review

The FCC ordered an early review of Disney’s eight ABC stations after a Jimmy Kimmel joke led the White House to demand his dismissal.
The review began despite the licenses not being due until October 2028.
ABC paid $15 million to the U.S. President Donald J. Trump Presidential Library, tying the settlement to the administration’s archive.
The FCC removed talk shows from the “bona fide” news exemption, ending their equal-time protection.

Summary

Gomez Condemns FCC

Disney removed Jimmy Kimmel after FCC pressure and reinstated him after backlash.
Anna Gomez, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) commissioner, condemned the agency’s actions, noted its partisan split, and called the license renewal request for ABC affiliates an attempt to punish speech.
After FCC staff dismissed the “news distortion” complaint about ABC’s 2024 debate on Amendment grounds, the commission reopened it, prompting conservatives to claim ABC’s anti-Trump coverage shows bias.

History

Historical Context

The FCC introduced the Fairness Doctrine in 1949 to require broadcasters to present contrasting views on controversial issues. After a 1987 four-zero vote led by Chairman Dennis R. Patrick, the rule was abolished, a change cited as fueling the growth of partisan talk radio and later prompting broader deregulation of broadcast ownership. Today the FCC reviews practices amid renewed calls for balanced coverage.

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Gomez Warns Disney

On May 11 2026, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Anna M. Gomez warned Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro of a censorship campaign.
She said Disney and ABC paid $15 million to settle President Donald Trump's suit and faced FCC complaints over 2024 Trump-Harris debate and a “The View” probe.
She noted a license review of eight ABC stations, calling it the most egregious First Amendment assault and urging Disney to choose courage.

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