Disney Sues FCC To Stop Early ABC License Reviews As Retaliatory
Disney, ABC and their ABC-owned stations sued the Federal Communications Commission in federal court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, seeking to block the agency's early review of ABC broadcast licenses.[1]
The complaint says the FCC's demand that ABC apply early for license renewals violates the First Amendment and amounts to "a retaliatory campaign" against ABC.[1] "Government censorship is deeply un-American," the complaint says, and it points to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's September podcast remark about Jimmy Kimmel as evidence of retaliatory intent.[2] The suit asks the court to halt the FCC's early-renewal request and to bar editorial interference, noting ABC's station licenses were originally scheduled for renewal between 2028 and 2031.[1]
In April 2026 the FCC ordered an accelerated review of ABC-owned station licenses that the agency publicly tied to an investigation of Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion practices.[1] MS NOW reports the early review followed White House condemnation of a Jimmy Kimmel joke and that the FCC has opened a separate probe into ABC's daytime show The View.[2] FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, called the early-renewal action "unprecedented, unlawful, and going nowhere." MS NOW As of the latest reports the FCC had not commented on the lawsuit and Disney declined to comment.[1]
Show source details & analysis (3 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, The Walt Disney Company, ABC and their television stations filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C., against the FCC over early license-renewal demands (The Walt Disney Company).
- The complaint argues the FCC's request that ABC apply early for license renewals violates the First Amendment and constitutes "a retaliatory campaign" based on disapproval of ABC's broadcasts (First Amendment).
- MS NOW reports the complaint frames the dispute explicitly as "government censorship," quoting the line, "Government censorship is deeply un-American" (government censorship).
- The lawsuit ties the FCC action to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's September podcast remark about Jimmy Kimmel — "we can do this the easy way or the hard way" — which the complaint cites as evidence of retaliatory intent (Brendan Carr).
- In April 2026 the FCC ordered an accelerated early review of ABC-owned station licenses; CBS reported the agency publicly tied the move to an investigation into Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion practices, while MS NOW said the review followed White House condemnation of a Kimmel joke (accelerated review).
- FCC Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez publicly labeled the early renewal action "unprecedented, unlawful, and going nowhere" (Anna Gomez).
- The complaint notes the FCC has opened an investigation into ABC's show "The View," which ABC and critics cite as part of a broader censorship campaign (The View).
- CBS reports ABC's station licenses were originally scheduled for renewal between 2028 and 2031, and the lawsuit seeks to halt the FCC's early-renewal request and to prevent editorial interference (station licenses).
- CBS says the FCC had not yet commented on the lawsuit and Disney declined comment as of the report's publication (CBS News).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, The Walt Disney Company, ABC and their television stations filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C., against the FCC over early license-renewal demands.
- The complaint argues that the FCC's request that ABC apply early for license renewals violates the First Amendment and constitutes "a retaliatory campaign" based on disapproval of ABC's broadcasts.
- The article specifies that ABC's station licenses were originally scheduled for renewal between 2028 and 2031, and that the lawsuit seeks to halt the FCC's early-renewal request and prevent editorial interference.
- CBS notes that the FCC in April ordered an accelerated review of Disney's ABC-owned stations and publicly tied that move to an investigation into the company's diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
- The CBS report adds that the FCC has not yet commented on the lawsuit and that Disney declined comment, while reiterating Disney owns eight ABC stations, including WABC-TV New York and KABC-TV Los Angeles.
- On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, ABC filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C., accusing the FCC of trying to interfere with its First Amendment rights.
- The complaint frames the dispute explicitly as 'government censorship,' stating, 'Government censorship is deeply un-American.'
- The article ties the lawsuit’s claims directly to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s September podcast remark about Jimmy Kimmel that 'we can do this the easy way or the hard way.'
- It recounts that in April 2026 the FCC launched a highly unusual early review of ABC station licenses shortly after White House condemnation of a Kimmel joke, which ABC characterizes as retaliatory.
- The piece notes that FCC Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez publicly labeled the early renewal action 'unprecedented, unlawful, and going nowhere.'
- It adds that Carr’s FCC has also opened an investigation into ABC’s show 'The View,' which ABC and critics cite as part of a broader censorship campaign.