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ABC asks federal judge to block FCC early review of its broadcast licenses
Коротко
ABC asked a federal judge in Washington on Tuesday to block the FCC from conducting an early review of its broadcast licenses, calling it retaliation for content President Trump dislikes. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan did not rule immediately, and a decision was not expected until at least mid-October. Government lawyers argued the court lacks jurisdiction and that ABC had not shown irreparable harm.
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A lawyer for ABC asked a federal judge in Washington on Tuesday to stop the Trump administration from conducting an early review of the network's broadcast licenses, describing the process as a looming threat to its editorial decisions. ABC attorney Beth Wilkinson compared the situation to having one's “head on the guillotine,” forced to wonder “if anything we say is going to make it come down,” according to wire reports on the hearing. [ 3 , 4 ]
U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan did not immediately rule on ABC's request for a preliminary injunction against the Federal Communications Commission. ABC argues the early review is unconstitutional, a violation of free speech and retaliation for content President Donald Trump dislikes. The judge extensively questioned both sides and asked for additional briefs by Oct. 9 from the government and Oct. 14 from ABC; a ruling was not expected until at least mid-October. [ 3 , 4 ]
A government attorney argued that the court does not have jurisdiction over ABC's case as a procedural matter because it belongs in a different venue. The government also challenged the network's First Amendment arguments and said ABC had failed to show it suffered irreparable harm. [ 3 , 4 ]
ABC and its parent company Disney sued the FCC and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr in August, several months after the commission ordered eight ABC-owned stations to submit renewal applications for their broadcast licenses years ahead of schedule. ABC also asked the judge to bar the FCC from taking further action on its license renewals and from coercing or threatening the network to change its “exercise of editorial discretion.” “The First Amendment demands an immediate end to the Commission's retaliatory campaign,” ABC attorneys wrote. [ 3 , 4 ]
The case is one of several legal battles between Trump's administration and news outlets, including The Associated Press, over their coverage and access to the executive branch since Trump returned to the White House for a second term. NPR's feed summary notes that Trump has repeatedly called for ABC to fire late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel for mocking him, and has routinely denounced ABC's The View as unfair. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
Почему это важно
The case is one of several legal fights between the Trump administration and news outlets over coverage and executive-branch access, and it is being heard weeks before the U.S. midterm elections. A ruling could set an early marker on how far the FCC can go in reviewing broadcast licenses while a network's editorial decisions are in dispute.
Ключевые факты
- ABC and its parent company Disney sued the FCC and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr in August. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The FCC ordered eight ABC-owned stations to submit broadcast license renewal applications years ahead of schedule. [ 3 , 4 ]
- At a Tuesday hearing, ABC attorney Beth Wilkinson asked the court to block the early review, saying it was chilling the network's editorial decisions. [ 3 , 4 ]
- U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan did not immediately rule on ABC's request for a preliminary injunction. [ 3 , 4 ]
- A government attorney argued the court lacks jurisdiction and said ABC had not shown irreparable harm. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The judge asked for additional briefs by Oct. 9 from the government and Oct. 14 from ABC, with a ruling not expected before at least mid-October. [ 3 , 4 ]
- NPR reported that President Trump has repeatedly called for ABC to fire late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel and has denounced the network's The View as unfair. [ 1 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
- ABC and Disney sued the FCC and Commissioner Brendan Carr in August, months after the commission ordered eight ABC-owned stations to seek early license renewals. [ 3 , 4 ]
- At the Tuesday hearing, Judge Loren AliKhan did not rule immediately and set additional briefing deadlines of Oct. 9 for the government and Oct. 14 for ABC. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The government argued the court lacked jurisdiction and that ABC had failed to show irreparable harm, while ABC argued the review violated free speech and was retaliation for content Trump dislikes. [ 3 , 4 ]
Пока неясно
- Whether Judge AliKhan will grant the preliminary injunction ABC requested. The documents say she did not rule immediately and that a ruling was not expected until at least mid-October.
- Whether the court has jurisdiction over ABC's case, as the government disputes. The government attorney argued the case belongs in a different venue; the documents do not say how the judge will decide that question.
- NPR's account of President Trump's calls for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel and his criticism of The View. Only one document, NPR's feed summary, states this; the other documents do not mention it.
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- NPR's feed summary notes President Trump's repeated calls for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel and his criticism of The View. [ 1 ]
- The Associated Press reports ABC and the FCC are battling in court over free speech and jurisdiction. [ 2 ]
- A report on the Tuesday hearing describes ABC attorney Beth Wilkinson's request for a preliminary injunction and the guillotine comparison. [ 3 ]
- A further report adds that ABC also sought to bar the FCC from coercing the network over its editorial discretion, and that briefs are due Oct. 9 and Oct. 14. [ 4 ]