Disney, ABC sue FCC over licence renewals citing ‘deeply un-American’ censorship

Disney and its US broadcast network ABC are fighting back against Donald Trump and the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) with a lawsuit designed to stop its licence renewal process being started early.

Donald Trump

The Mouse House says ABC is being unfairly targeted over its editorial content after frequent spats with the Trump regime over late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and daytime talkshow The View. Trump previously successfully sued ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for defamation.

The FCC also has a long-running investigation into ABC over alleged illegal diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

Kimmel was taken off air by ABC a year ago over comments made about the late right-wing agitator Charlie Kirk, but a backlash from politicians and senior media figures, as well as Disney shareholders, saw his show Jimmy Kimmel Live! reinstated.

The comedian subsequently returned to air with a broadside about first amendment rights on freedom of speech, but the return angered President Trump who said on his Truth Social platform: “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do.”

Disney’s lawsuit says government media regulator the FCC is now being pressured by Trump to bring forward licence renewals, sometimes by years. The FCC ordered licence renewals for the eight Disney-owned ABC stations in April, a day after Kimmel made an on-air joke about first lady Melania Trump and gave the networks just 30 days to file applications which “ordinarily take months to prepare,” according to Disney/ABC.

“Government censorship is deeply un-American. This case concerns the administration’s sustained effort to do just that,” the lawsuit said, adding that the commission had not called for such an early renewal in over 50 years.

“Acting through the Federal Communications Commission, the administration has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts. That campaign began in this administration’s earliest days and has only intensified since,” the lawsuit added, citing numerous Trump posts on Truth Social, including one in which he asked his followers if broadcast licences should be terminated, as evidence.

FCC chairman Brendan Carr has defended the move as being in “the public interest” and a statement from the regulator added: “The FCC has been examining claims that Disney engaged in illegal DEI discrimination for over a year. The FCC will continue to follow the facts and law wherever they lead.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for the FCC said: “All broadcasters have a legal obligation to operate in the public interest – even Disney. The FCC has been examining claims that Disney engaged in illegal DEI discrimination for over a year.”

ABC and Disney have requested an expedited hearing and a temporary restraining order.