FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has indicated that ABC’s decision not to air President Donald Trump’s primetime address will factor into the renewal of licenses for eight ABC-owned stations. The review is part of an ongoing examination of Disney’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. Carr has suggested that ABC’s choice to skip the speech may not align with the public interest, a key requirement for broadcast license renewals.
A coalition of conservative and free-market advocacy groups, including the Center for Individual Freedom, Citizens Against Government Waste, and Americans for Tax Reform, has urged Carr to avoid politicizing the renewal process. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the groups argued that transforming license renewals into a discretionary checkpoint could invite politicization and harm non-liberal organizations in the future. They emphasized the importance of maintaining a routine, predictable renewal process as intended by Congress.
The FCC’s scrutiny of ABC comes amid broader debates over media bias and regulatory oversight. Carr has previously praised Disney for its DEI initiatives but has also criticized the network’s editorial decisions, including its handling of Trump’s speech. The FCC’s review could set a precedent for how broadcasters balance public interest obligations with editorial discretion.