ABC and Disney sue FCC over broadcast license reviews

ABC and its parent company, Disney, have filed a federal lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to block what they describe as an unconstitutional intimidation campaign. The legal action follows an unprecedented move by the FCC to review the broadcast licenses of ABC’s eight network-owned television stations years ahead of their scheduled renewal.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has indicated the review is linked to concerns regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and whether the stations are serving the “public interest.” Critics and former FCC officials have characterized the agency's actions as an “assault on free speech disguised as regulatory process” intended to punish news coverage disfavored by the Trump administration.

In response to the litigation, media watchdog groups Frequency Forward and the Media Action Center, along with several viewers, have filed motions to intervene as plaintiffs. These groups argue that the FCC’s actions threaten the First Amendment rights of viewers and could force stations to limit content to avoid losing their licenses.