Disney / ABC (FCC licence review)

Date

Aug 18, 2026

Sector

Media

Response

Still litigating

Source

pbs.org ↗

Pressure applied

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr ordered early renewal review of the licences of eight ABC-owned stations in April, citing the network's diversity practices; it followed a joke by Jimmy Kimmel that had angered Trump

What happened

ABC, Disney and the eight stations sued the FCC on First Amendment grounds, asking a federal court to stop the early renewal proceedings. ABC told the court it has "no alternative means to eliminate these ongoing and immediate threats other than total capitulation."

Period

Second term

Full record

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