FCC Orders Early Review of ABC Licenses Over DEI Probe
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- FCC Chair Brendan Carr ordered early review of broadcast licenses for eight ABC-owned stations, citing an investigation into potential violations of the FCC’s prohibition on unlawful discrimination and DEI practices.
- Jane Fonda condemned the FCC order as a “naked attempt to weaponize government power against dissent,” linking it to historical authoritarian patterns.
- President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump called for Disney and ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel over his joke about her looking like “an expectant widow” a day before the FCC’s order.
- ABC stations’ licenses are not due for renewal until 2028‑2031, making the early review unusually premature.
- Disney spokesperson asserted ABC’s compliance with FCC rules and public‑interest programming, expressing confidence in its qualifications and willingness to defend them legally.
- Jimmy Kimmel defended his “light roast” joke on his April 27 show, denying it was a call to assassination and urging rejection of hateful rhetoric.
- Jane Fonda relaunched the Committee for the First Amendment last October, a group originally founded by her father to protect free speech.
Why it matters: ABC (Disney) faces an unexpected regulatory hurdle that could delay its license renewals and increase legal costs, while the FCC’s action fuels accusations of partisan overreach, potentially chilling dissenting speech. The early review, triggered by a probe into alleged discrimination and DEI practices, could set a precedent for future FCC scrutiny of major networks, affecting the broader media landscape.
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