Trump Administration Targets ABC Stations in Unprecedented FCC License Fight

The Federal Communications Commission, under Chairman Brendan Carr, has opened a highly unusual proceeding to examine the renewal of eight local ABC television-station licenses. The action, announced in the summer, comes despite the fact that the licenses are not scheduled for renewal for several years. The public comment period closed on the Wednesday that marked the final day for submissions.

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President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for the revocation of ABC’s licenses, citing displeasure with the network’s programming. In April, while pressuring ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel, Carr ordered the network to file early-renewal paperwork for the stations. The current probe follows that earlier “early-renewal” order and is framed by the administration as enforcement of existing rules, though critics argue it is politically motivated.

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Disney’s filing notes that more than 150,000 comments were submitted to the FCC, a volume far exceeding the few hundred responses typical of other open proceedings. A prior campaign concerning “The View” generated almost 80,000 comments, largely opposing the FCC’s investigation of the talk-show under “equal time” rules. Support for the stations has come from a broad ideological spectrum, including conservative and free-market groups that view the FCC action as a threat to free speech.

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Disney’s lawyers contend that the commission is “singling out” the eight ABC-owned stations because the administration dislikes their content, describing the move as “unnecessary, premature, and punitive.” Carr maintains that the order follows a legitimate probe into Disney’s DEI initiatives, which the filing says found no violation.

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• “The outpouring of support for the stations has been unprecedented for a license renewal proceeding,” — The Walt Disney

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