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ABC asks federal judge to block FCC's early review of its broadcast licenses
Коротко
Disney's ABC asked a federal judge in Washington, D.C. to block the FCC from conducting an early review of its broadcast licenses, arguing the proceeding was launched to retaliate over content that offended the Trump administration. The FCC ordered eight ABC-owned stations in April to file renewal applications years ahead of schedule. FCC lawyers told the court it lacks jurisdiction to review the order.
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ABC, owned by Disney, asked a federal judge in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to block the Federal Communications Commission from conducting an early review of the network's broadcast licences, according to CBS News and CNN. The request came during a roughly two-hour hearing before US District Judge Loren AliKhan, where the network sought a preliminary injunction against the FCC's order. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The FCC ordered eight television stations owned by ABC and its parent company in April to submit renewal applications for their broadcast licences years ahead of schedule, CBS News and CNN reported. Those licences had been scheduled for renewal between 2028 and 2031. CNN reported that ABC sued the government over the order in August. [ 2 , 3 ]
In court, ABC attorney Beth Wilkinson said the proceeding was initiated to retaliate against the network over content that offended the Trump administration. “They are retaliating with their government power to stop ABC from exercising their protected First Amendment speech,” Wilkinson said, according to CBS News. She said the action is having a chilling effect on ABC's editorial decisions and that the loss of the licences would amount to a “corporate death penalty”. Invoking the French Revolution, she compared the administration's pressure to keeping the network's “head on a guillotine”. Both CBS News and CNN reported that she cited a July White House speech in which President Trump criticised ABC and NBC for not broadcasting it and called for their licences to be revoked, which she described as a “direct threat” to her client. [ 2 , 3 ]
CNN reported that FCC lawyers argued the US District Court lacks jurisdiction to review the agency's licence-renewal order, describing ABC as a “regulated entity that is undergoing a review by its regulator” that cannot bypass the regulatory process with this First Amendment case. CBS News reported that the Justice Department is defending the FCC. [ 2 , 3 ]
CNN reported that the licence-renewal order was part of a months-long effort to pressure ABC and Disney that has included Trump's repeated calls for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel, FCC probes into Disney's diversity practices, into ABC's relationship with its local affiliates, and into whether “The View” violated the so-called equal-time rule. No ruling on ABC's request was reported in the documents. [ 3 ]
Почему это важно
The case tests whether a regulator can compel early license renewals of a broadcaster whose coverage the administration has criticised, and ABC says the proceeding is already affecting its editorial decisions. Because the FCC governs broadcast licensing across the United States, the judge's decision could shape how much pressure a regulator can apply to stations it oversees.
Ключевые факты
- ABC, owned by Disney, asked a federal judge to block the FCC's early review of its broadcast licenses. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The FCC ordered eight television stations owned by ABC and its parent company in April to submit renewal applications years ahead of schedule. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Those licenses were originally scheduled for renewal between 2028 and 2031. [ 2 ]
- The hearing before US District Judge Loren AliKhan lasted nearly two hours and was held in federal court in Washington, D.C. [ 2 , 3 ]
- ABC attorney Beth Wilkinson said the regulatory action has had a chilling effect on the network's editorial decisions. [ 2 , 3 ]
- FCC lawyers argued the US District Court lacks jurisdiction to review the agency's license-renewal order. [ 3 ]
- ABC sued the government over the order in August. [ 3 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
Пока неясно
- Whether the court has jurisdiction over the FCC's license-renewal order. FCC lawyers argued the US District Court lacks jurisdiction, while ABC brought the case as a First Amendment claim; the documents do not record a ruling.
- How the judge will rule on ABC's request for a preliminary injunction. No decision is reported in the documents.
- The full content of the Justice Department's argument. The CBS News article is truncated mid-sentence where the department's position was being described.
- Whether ABC's claim that the proceeding was retaliatory is established. It is ABC's argument as made by its attorney; the documents also carry the FCC's contrary position on jurisdiction.
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- Reuters reports that a US judge will hold a hearing on Disney's bid to block the FCC license review. [ 1 ]
- CBS News reports that ABC's attorney asked the judge to block the FCC's early licence review during a roughly two-hour hearing. [ 2 ]
- CNN reports details of the hearing, including ABC's argument that the FCC has chilled its free speech and the FCC's jurisdictional objection. [ 3 ]