A coalition of conservative organizations is asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deny the renewal of ABC’s broadcast licenses, accusing the Disney-owned network of partisan bias, discriminatory employment practices, equal-time violations, and conduct they argue is inconsistent with the public interest.
The petitions come after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr opened the license renewal process to public objections, allowing outside groups to formally challenge ABC’s applications while the agency reviews the broadcaster’s compliance with federal regulations.
According to The Guardian, Carr accelerated the process as the FCC continues investigations into several issues involving the network, including its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and allegations that programs such as Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The View may have violated equal-time requirements with their election coverage.
Groups Allege ABC Has Abused Its Broadcast Privileges
Among the organizations filing petitions is the Center for American Rights, which argues ABC is no longer operating “in the public interest,” the standard broadcasters must meet to maintain FCC licenses.
The group claims the network has demonstrated “consistent and overt partisan bias” while abandoning long-standing journalistic guidelines.
“ABC ignores long-standing Commission precedents and principles protecting the integrity of the news,” the petition states. “ABC engages in explicit racial and gender discrimination. ABC cozies up to the Communist Chinese Party and airbrushes over religious and ethnic cleansing. ABC fails to respect this Commission’s rules.”
The organization argues those alleged actions should disqualify the network from continuing to hold broadcast licenses.
Media Research Center Cites Election Coverage
The Media Research Center (MRC) also filed a petition urging the FCC to reject ABC’s renewal applications.
The conservative media watchdog accuses ABC and several of its local affiliates—including New York’s WABC—of using public airwaves to influence elections while suppressing politically damaging news stories.
According to the filing, ABC has engaged in “continued and sustained abuse” of its broadcast licenses through political bias, misinformation, and the promotion or minimization of political violence.
The petition alleges the network has used “the public spectrum to suppress news coverage of the most critical stories of our day; to engage in electioneering and relentless political bias; to excuse, minimize, and even justify the epidemic of political violence; and to peddle misinformation and defamation.”
Employment Practices Also Challenged
The Article III Project focused its petition on ABC’s employment policies, arguing the network’s DEI initiatives violate federal equal employment opportunity laws.
If the FCC does not reject the renewal requests outright, the group says any approval should include conditions requiring ABC to eliminate discriminatory hiring practices.
Meanwhile, America First Legal contends that ABC lacks the character qualifications necessary to continue holding FCC broadcast licenses, another factor the commission may consider during renewal proceedings.
FCC Review Underway
Carr has not announced a timeline for the review process.
He has said the commission will take the time necessary to apply the Communications Act and relevant FCC regulations in evaluating the renewal applications.
The FCC’s review is expected to examine the allegations raised by petitioners before determining whether the network’s broadcast licenses should be renewed, renewed with conditions, or denied.
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