A bipartisan group of former FCC chairs, commissioners and senior staff urged the agency to end its early review of ABC licenses for eight local stations, calling the move unprecedented and unconstitutional.
The filing argues the proceeding lets the FCC police editorial decisions after petitions from the Media Research Center and Center for American Rights accused ABC of bias, discrimination and violating news-integrity principles.
Brendan Carr's FCC ordered the early renewal review in late April after criticism of ABC by Donald Trump and Melania Trump, which the former officials cast as part of a broader pressure campaign on disfavored speech.
August 5 is the deadline for replies to the petitions; afterward, the FCC could extend the licenses or move toward hearings, leaving ABC and its stations facing prolonged uncertainty over long-term broadcasting authority.
Where is the line between enforcing public interest obligations and infringing on a television broadcaster's editorial independence?
In an era of limitless digital content, does the traditional concept of scarce public airwaves still justify strict government oversight?
"27,885 Comments and a Chilling Effect: The 2026 FCC-ABC License Battle and the Weaponization of Broadcast Regulation"
Overview
A political feud erupted after Jimmy Kimmel joked about First Lady Melania Trump, followed by an assassination attempt on President Trump. This led to the FCC issuing an unprecedented early license review order for Disney’s ABC stations, which Disney and ABC protested as political censorship. The FCC’s actions triggered widespread condemnation from former officials and a massive public response, with tens of thousands of comments flooding the FCC’s website. The regulatory uncertainty created by this process forced ABC to hire top legal counsel and caused other media companies to pause business deals, highlighting how regulatory pressure can chill journalism and disrupt the entire media industry.