Former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairs and other ex-agency officials criticize the FCC’s ongoing early review of broadcast licenses tied to ABC-owned television stations. In a filing submitted to the FCC on Tuesday, the group urges current FCC Chair Brendan Carr to end the review, arguing it is an improper effort that targets ABC’s broadcast operations.
According to the sources, the officials say the FCC’s approach is unusually aggressive compared with standard regulatory practice and that it effectively functions as a censorship measure. They describe the process as “an assault on free speech disguised as regulatory process,” and characterize the FCC’s actions as a campaign to restrict speech associated with Disney and ABC.
The filings focus on a spectrum-related licensing review involving eight ABC-owned TV stations. The outlets report that the dispute centers on whether the FCC’s timing and manner of conducting the review are appropriate and lawful. The FCC’s position is not detailed in the provided excerpts.
