The Walt Disney Co. has launched a public campaign to gather support for ABC as it faces an early Federal Communications Commission (FCC) review of its TV station licenses and the guest booking policy of its daytime talk show “The View.” ABC began airing spots asking viewers to comment on the FCC’s actions, which Disney perceives as an effort to suppress speech critical of former President Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly threatened to revoke broadcast licenses from TV outlets featuring journalists and hosts he dislikes.
In April, the FCC called for an early review of licenses for Disney’s eight broadcast TV stations, following Trump's demand for ABC to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over a joke about former First Lady Melania Trump. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, has been accused of using his power to punish TV and radio stations that irritate the former president. The ABC spots feature Barbara Walters' original introduction to "The View" and claim the FCC is questioning their community support, providing a QR code linking directly to the FCC's electronic comment filing system for viewers to submit feedback.
Additionally, Disney is airing customized spots for its local TV stations, such as KABC in Los Angeles, emphasizing their commitment to local news coverage. Although Disney has not officially commented on the campaign, an executive stated it is crucial for the public to understand what is at stake and how to participate. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the sole Democrat on the commission, has supported Disney, characterizing the FCC's actions as a "weaponization" of authority to censor and control the media. This aggressive defense by Disney contrasts with its previous decision to settle a lawsuit with Trump for $15 million in December 2024 over inaccurate statements made by ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos.
