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Senate Democrats press top media regulator Brendan Carr to back off ABC
TL;DR
Senate Democrats urged FCC chair Brendan Carr to withdraw an order requiring ABC to renew its licenses early, citing concerns over abuse of power. The licenses were not due for renewal until 2028-2031, and the demand follows political pressure related to comedian Jimmy Kimmel.
Key points
- Senate Democrats sent a letter to Brendan Carr regarding ABC's licenses
- FCC's order requires ABC to renew licenses by May
- Licenses were not due for renewal until 2028-2031
- Order linked to political pressure over Jimmy Kimmel's joke
- Lawmakers claim it violates First Amendment rights
Mentioned in this story
Federal Communications CommissionABCDisneyBrendan CarrJimmy KimmelEdward J MarkeyChuck SchumerMaria CantwellBen Ray Luján
A group of prominent Senate Democrats sent a letter on Thursday to Brendan Carr, the Trump-aligned Federal Communications Commission chair, asking him to rescind the US media regulator’s order last week requiring ABC to apply early to renew its television licenses.
The eight ABC-owned station licenses were not originally up for renewal until 2028 at the earliest and 2031 at the latest; now, the renewal requests must be filed by the end of May.
Although Carr told reporters that the early license renewal request stemmed from an ongoing investigation into the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts of ABC parent company Disney, the announcement came just a day after the president and his wife called on the network to fire Jimmy Kimmel, the late-night comedian, for a poorly timed joke. The letter called the early renewal demand an “extraordinary abuse of power” and an “unconstitutional abuse of the Commission’s powers”.
“The campaign against Disney and its editorial decision-making, culminating in last week’s early-renewal order, is an egregious abuse of power and a clear violation of the First Amendment,” lawmakers state in the letter led by Senators Edward J Markey, Chuck Schumer, Maria Cantwell and Ben Ray Luján. Eight other senators also signed the letter.
“Although the FCC has the authority to ensure broadcasters operate in the public interest, it cannot serve as President Trump’s roving censor, threatening to revoke licenses against broadcasters whose editorial content – including a comedian’s jokes – displeases the President.”
The senators accused Carr of using the FCC’s licensing authority as “a cudgel against broadcasters whose editorial choices displease the President”.
The FCC has two other open investigations into ABC, including one based on a 2024 complaint about the network’s moderation of a presidential debate and a more recent probe into whether The View, the ABC show, violated equal time rules when it hosted James Talarico, a Senate candidate.
Q&A
Why did Senate Democrats write to Brendan Carr regarding ABC's licenses?
Senate Democrats wrote to Brendan Carr to rescind the FCC's order for ABC to renew its licenses early, calling it an abuse of power linked to political pressure.
What is the timeline for ABC's license renewal after the FCC's order?
The FCC's order requires ABC to file for license renewal by the end of May, despite the licenses not being due until 2028 at the earliest.
What are the implications of the FCC's order on First Amendment rights?
Senators argue that the FCC's order represents a violation of First Amendment rights by acting as a political censor against broadcasters whose content displeases the President.
