Disney and ABC sue Trump's media regulator to stop early licence renewal

What the report says

Disney and ABC have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration and the Federal Communications Commission, seeking to block what they describe as an unusual effort to force early renewal of broadcast licences. According to the BBC report, the complaint says the move is retaliatory and amounts to government censorship, arguing that regulators are targeting ABC because of its editorial decisions and coverage.

The case was filed on Tuesday by Disney and its eight owned-and-operated ABC stations. The BBC says the FCC had ordered licence renewals in April, then issued a notice requiring early applications with only 30 days to prepare, a process the plaintiffs say normally takes months. Disney argues the commission has not demanded early renewal from a group of stations under common ownership in more than 50 years. The lawsuit seeks a fast court hearing and a temporary restraining order.

The report says FCC chair Brendan Carr has insisted the reviews are about the public interest, not retaliation. It also notes a tense backdrop between the administration and ABC, including Trump’s criticism of the network’s coverage and earlier disputes involving Disney, ABC’s daytime show The View and Jimmy Kimmel. In general, broadcast licences are regularly renewed by U.S. regulators, but the BBC’s account says this case raises questions about whether political pressure is being used against a major network.