The FCC’s Bad News for Disney/ABC: The Time for Playing Nice Is Over
The FCC has accelerated its review of ABC's eight local broadcasting licenses, citing concerns over Disney/ABC's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and potential violations of equal employment opportunity rules. The move comes amid heightened tensions following controversial on-air remarks by Jimmy Kimmel, which have drawn backlash from the Trump administration. While the FCC claims the action is based on regulatory compliance, speculation persists that political pressure may be influencing the timing. Disney maintains that its stations comply with all FCC regulations and serve their communities effectively.
- ▪The FCC is advancing its review of ABC’s eight local broadcasting licenses due to concerns over DEI practices and possible violations of equal employment opportunity regulations.
- ▪The affected ABC stations, located in major markets like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, were originally scheduled for license renewal between 2028 and 2031 but must now file by May 28, 2026.
- ▪FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, initiated the investigation in March 2025, months before recent controversies involving Jimmy Kimmel’s on-air comments about the Trumps.
- ▪Disney responded that ABC has consistently complied with FCC rules and remains focused on serving local communities.
- ▪Speculation links the FCC’s action to Kimmel’s recent remarks, including a joke about First Lady Melania Trump, which intensified political scrutiny of Disney/ABC.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The FCC’s Bad News for Disney/ABC: The Time for Playing Nice Is Over Tim O'Brien | 8:08 PM on April 28, 2026 Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File I didn’t have plans to write about the latest Jimmy Kimmel saga. I thought my colleagues, Scott Pinsker, Catherine Salgado, and Matt Margolis did more than a fine job on that story, and there was really nothing left to say. But then I saw something where the Trump administration sort of pulled a thread from that situation, and it’s at least indirectly tied to another situation—and now the whole thing is unraveling.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at PJ Media.
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