ABC launches counterattack: lawsuit escalates clash with Trump administration

American television network ABC has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), claiming that an unusual review of its licenses and threats to shut down local stations violate the First Amendment. The network, which operates eight local stations including in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, is asking a federal court in Washington to halt the regulatory actions, which it says pose an 'existential threat' to its operations. The dispute is linked to political pressure to remove Jimmy Kimmel's show.

American television network ABC filed a lawsuit today against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in federal court in Washington, demanding a halt to the commission's regulatory actions, which the network claims pose an 'existential threat' to its continued operations. The network argues that an unusual review of its licenses and threats to shut down local stations constitute a violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. ABC operates eight local stations carrying its broadcasts across the United States, including in major markets such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and their operations depend on licenses granted by the FCC. The dispute surrounding host Jimmy Kimmel is mentioned as context: in recent months, political pressure has been exerted on broadcast networks to remove his show, after the commission's chairman hinted in a conservative podcast that media companies should 'take initiative' against him. The FCC claimed, as reported by The Guardian, that the license review is related to an investigation into Disney's employment practices and not to political pressures, but critics in the U.S. see this as an attempt to silence. The FCC has not yet responded.