FCC asks judge to dismiss Disney lawsuit over ABC licence reviews

MUMBAI: Disney’s legal battle with the US broadcast regulator is now facing a courtroom detour, with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asking a federal judge to send the dispute elsewhere before it gets to the heart of the matter.

The FCC has asked a federal district court to dismiss Disney’s lawsuit challenging the regulator’s decision to begin early reviews of the broadcast licences of eight ABC-owned television stations. The agency argues that any challenge to its actions belongs before a federal appeals court, rather than the district court.

The procedural tussle stems from an April 2026 order by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who directed the early licence reviews. According to Reuters, it was the FCC’s first such move in more than 50 years, putting an unusually bright spotlight on what would otherwise be a regulatory exercise.

Disney responded by suing the FCC, alleging that the reviews were politically motivated and could threaten ABC’s editorial independence and First Amendment rights. The company has connected the regulator’s actions to repeated criticism of ABC by US President Donald Trump.

Trump has publicly criticised ABC and other media organisations over coverage and programming he disagrees with and has previously called for broadcast licences to be revoked. That backdrop has turned what might have been a licensing dispute into a wider argument over where regulatory oversight ends and editorial independence begins.

The FCC, however, says its actions are driven by regulatory concerns rather than an attempt to influence ABC’s journalism. The agency wants its investigation into allegations of unlawful discrimination involving the eight stations to continue.

The stations operate using public airwaves and therefore require FCC licences, giving the regulator authority to review them. Disney argues that bringing forward those reviews in such an unusual manner goes beyond routine oversight and amounts to retaliation.

The dispute comes as Carr has stepped up scrutiny of major US broadcasters and media companies. Media organisations and free-speech advocates have raised concerns that the use — or threat — of broadcast licensing powers could put pressure on networks over their editorial decisions.

For now, though, the court is being asked to decide where Disney’s challenge should be heard, rather than who is right on the underlying allegations. The FCC maintains that the appeals court is the proper venue and is seeking dismissal from the district court on that basis.

A federal district court hearing on Disney’s case is scheduled for October 6.