The U.S. Federal Communications Commission asked a federal court on Thursday to dismiss a Disney lawsuit that seeks to block an early regulatory review of its eight ABC television station licenses. The FCC argued that success for Disney would prevent the commission from analyzing evidence in its ongoing investigation and hobble its efforts to address serious allegations of unlawful discrimination. FCC Chair Brendan Carr ordered the early reviews in April, a step not taken in over 50 years, despite renewals not being due until October 2028. The reviews came a day after President Donald Trump urged ABC to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. A hearing on the lawsuit is set for October 6 before U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, with the FCC agreeing to give 48 hours' notice before referring the licenses for a public hearing. Disney, which declined to comment, called the agency's actions an "extraordinary assault on free speech."
Walt Disney CompanyFCC seeks dismissal of Disney's lawsuit over ABC license review, which could lead to regulatory action against its stations.
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