FCC Orders Early Review of ABC Broadcast License Renewal

Confirming earlier reports, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has now ordered a review of ABC-owned stations and their broadcast licenses.

What's Happening:

• As the New York Times reports, the FCC Media Bureau is ordering The Walt Disney Company, American Broadcasting Company (ABC), and its television subsidiaries to file early license renewal applications for its television stations.
• In the filing, the commission notes that it's been investigating Disney and ABC for possibleviolations of the Communications Act of 1934 and the FCC’s rules.
• This includes the agency’s prohibition on unlawful discrimination, which points to ABC's diversity and inclusion policies as the reason for the early renewal order.
• With this order, ABC is directed to file license renewals for all of its TV stations within 30 days.
• That puts the deadline at May 28, 2026.
• In a statement obtained by Deadline, Disney stated, "ABC and its stations have a long record of operating in full compliance with FCC rules and serving their local communities with trusted news, emergency information, and public‑interest programming. We are confident that record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels. Our focus remains, as always, on serving viewers in the local communities where our stations operate."

In the Background:

• While not directly related to the content of this filing, this news comes on the heels of First Lady Melania Trump and President Trump himself calling on ABC to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over a joke he told prior to the White House Correspondents' Dinner this weekend.
• Last year, Kimmel was suspended from the network following a different controversy.
• Around that time, FCC chairman Brendan Carr said on the podcast that "These companies can find ways to change conduct to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead."
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! aired last night (April 27, 2026), where the comic addressed the latest joke in question.
• Disney has not commented on the matter.