How the FCC-ABC battle could reshape US broadcasting

The Federal Communications Commission has long had conflicts with broadcasters, but its ongoing battle with Disney and ABC is something new.

That’s according to several First Amendment experts, who described both the FCC’s order for the Disney-owned ABC to file license renewals ahead of schedule and the network’s subsequent lawsuit accusing the agency of an unconstitutional "retaliatory campaign" as unprecedented steps that could impact American broadcasting for years to come.

The FCC’s order said the agency was investigating "possible violations of the Communications Act of 1934 and the FCC’s rules, including the agency’s prohibition on unlawful discrimination."

Disney and ABC have denied wrongdoing and accused the agency of using the allegation as a pretext for targeting speech President Donald Trump’s administration doesn’t like.

In addition to the early license renewal proceeding, the FCC has an ongoing probe into ABC related to the agency’s equal time rules. The network accused the FCC of "chilling speech ahead of the fast-approaching 2026 general election" in a July legal filing on the matter.

Duke Law School professor Stuart Benjamin told USA TODAY that "no previous administration" has threatened broadcasters based on the viewpoints presented in their content to the same extent as Trump's.

"I…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/