Disney and its subsidiary ABC have sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to block an unusual early review of broadcast licenses for eight Disney-owned local TV stations. The lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration is unlawfully seeking to punish the network over its broadcast content and force changes in its programming. According to the lawsuit, the FCC's actions have already chilled ABC's editorial decision-making, with the network refraining from booking political candidates on its popular daytime talk show 'The View' for fear of retaliation.
Background
The FCC, led by Chair Brendan Carr, has denied that the agency is infringing on Disney's free speech rights or responding to Trump's dislike of specific content. However, the lawsuit claims that the FCC has 'waged a retaliatory campaign' against ABC due to the Republican president's disapproval of its news coverage and on-air comments by its late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel.
Implications
The legal fight highlights the volatile relationship between the Trump administration and the media. The lawsuit states that the Administration has attacked ABC's speech, and that the network cannot afford to 'ignore the consequences of any decision that might anger the Administration or the FCC Chairman'. Journalism professor Gabriel Kahn of the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism said that the lawsuit illustrates how federal intimidation has already worked, forcing media organizations to 'cower and keep their heads down, rather than act as they normally would in accordance with their First Amendment rights'.
