US Edition
FCC 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.
254 Articles
254 Articles
Jimmy Kimmel slams Trump again after FCC opens review of ABC TV licenses
"Wait a minute, did he just make a joke about his death?" Kimmel said. "Only Donald Trump would demand I be fired for making a joke about his old age and then, a day later, go out and make a joke about his own old age."
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.
On the eve of this decision, US President Donald Trump called on the channel to fire the presenter.
FCC chairman launches early review of ABC's licenses to broadcast amid Trump-Kimmel feud
WASHINGTON (CBS, KYMA) - The FCC says its investigating ABC and its owner, The Walt Disney Company, for "possible violations" of "the agency's prohibition on unlawful discrimination." On a podcast Tuesday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr called out Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion practices. "There's evidence that suggests that Disney was, you know, literally dividing and categorizing employees based on race and gender," Carr explained. In a s…
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