US EditionFCC to review Disney broadcast licenses after Jimmy Kimmel joke about Melania Trump
The move would force Disney to seek renewal for eight stations years early and could trigger a legal fight over public interest and discrimination rules.
- On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission ordered Disney to file early renewal applications for its eight ABC-owned broadcast stations within 30 days, forcing an accelerated review of licenses not scheduled for renewal until 2028.
- Though the FCC cites an ongoing probe into Disney's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, critics argue the timing reflects President Donald Trump's demand Monday that ABC fire host Jimmy Kimmel over an 'expectant widow' joke.
- Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez called the order 'unprecedented, unlawful, and going nowhere,' stating it is a 'political stunt.' Legal experts note the FCC has not revoked a broadcast license in more than 40 years.
- Disney likely faces protracted legal battles as analysts suggest the company will cite First Amendment protections against content-based regulatory retaliation, imposing substantial defense costs while creating precedent for government authority over broadcast media.
- The conflict signals an intensifying pressure campaign by the administration against major media outlets; should proceedings advance, the case may reshape regulatory boundaries and press-freedom standards for U.S. broadcasters in coming years.
241 Articles
241 Articles
The US government is stepping up pressure on ABC, which is broadcast by Trump-critical late-night presenter Jimmy Kimmel. State telecommunications oversight FCC is forcing several ABC local stations, including New York and San Francisco, to renew their licenses in the near future.
FCC Officially Places ABC and Parent Company Disney Under Investigation – Disney’s Broadcast Licenses for Eight ABC-Owned Stations Now Under Federal Review
The Federal Communications Commission has officially placed ABC and its parent company The Walt Disney Company under investigation.
FCC Leaks To Semafor They’re ‘Investigating’ ABC Because A Comedian Told A Joke. Again.
Anonymous insiders tell the access journalists at Semafor that Trump FCC boss Brendan Carr is cooking up a "review" of ABC broadcast licenses after Jimmy Kimmel once again made the President sad. The FCC clearly leaked word of the inquiry to Semafor in the hopes that Semafor would present it as a serious, big boy…
FCC orders early review of ABC’s broadcast licenses
The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday said it was calling for early renewal of ABC’s licenses that allow its eight owned television stations to broadcast. The order says, “The FCC has been investigating The Walt Disney Company, its American Broadcasting Company, and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Disney’s ABC”) for compliance with its obligations as a licensed...
By Brian Stelter, CNN. On the day the Trump administration challenged ABC's station licenses, Jimmy Kimmel had a message for President Donald Trump: the show goes on. On Tuesday night's episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", the comedian made no reference to the news that the network's parent company, Disney, was facing highly unusual scrutiny from the federal government. Instead, the comedian used a satirical monologue about King Charles III and Quee…
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