Disney’s ABC has filed license renewal applications for its eight owned-and-operated TV stations with the FCC — but “under protest” — after the agency ordered an unprecedented accelerated review.
The filings were due by May 28, 2026, per the FCC Media Bureau’s directive issued in late April. The stations include major-market outlets such as WABC-TV in New York and KABC-TV in Los Angeles.
Their licenses were not originally set to expire until 2028 or later.
The FCC’s move came just days after President Donald Trump publicly called for ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel to be fired. Trump’s demand followed a joke Kimmel made on his show about First Lady Melania Trump, describing her as having “the glow of an expectant widow.”
Both Trumps criticized the remark as inappropriate and beyond acceptable bounds.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has described the accelerated review as part of a broader investigation into Disney’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and whether they comply with the Communications Act’s public interest obligations and anti-discrimination rules. The agency said calling in the licenses early was necessary to conduct the probe.
In a statement, the company said it has always complied with FCC rules and is confident its stations meet all qualifications for license renewal. Filing “under protest” signals the company’s objection to the accelerated timeline and what many observers view as politically motivated scrutiny.
Legal experts have called the FCC’s action highly unusual and potentially vulnerable to First Amendment challenges, noting that revoking or denying broadcast licenses over content disagreements is rare and difficult. Critics argue the timing strongly suggests retaliation tied to Kimmel’s comedy rather than routine regulatory concerns.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Disney/ABC. As of now, the stations remain on air while the FCC reviews the renewal applications.