The Federal Communications Commission asks a federal court in Washington, D.C., to dismiss a First Amendment lawsuit filed by ABC. ABC alleges the FCC is pursuing an “extraordinary” and “retaliatory” review of the renewal of its television licenses. ABC, which filed the suit on Aug. 18, seeks to stop the proceeding.
In court filings summarized by outlets, the FCC argues ABC has not shown that the earlier stage of its license renewal review amounts to retaliation for disfavored speech. The agency also says its actions are unrelated to prominent ABC programs, including “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The View,” and it repeats that the matter concerns regulatory oversight rather than punishment for specific content.
Deadline and Variety both report the FCC’s position that ABC’s allegations do not meet the legal threshold for a First Amendment retaliation claim. Both describe ABC’s broader claim that the commission’s approach is being used to pressure or penalize the network’s speech, while the FCC counters that the review is part of routine licensing processes and is not targeted at any particular program or host.
