FCC’s Disney probe widens into a free-speech fight
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez sent a letter to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, accusing the Trump administration's FCC of orchestrating a "censorship and control" campaign targeting Disney and ABC. Gomez detailed a series of FCC actions, including investigations into Disney's DEI practices, ABC's moderation of a 2024 election debate, and an early review of ABC's broadcast licenses, alleging these actions are politically motivated to pressure media into submission.
Key Takeaways
- Gomez sent the letter to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro and posted it on her X account.
- She said the FCC revived a complaint over ABC’s moderation of the 2024 Trump-Harris debate.
- The agency launched an investigation into Disney’s DEI practices last year.
- FCC officials also began an early review of ABC broadcast licenses in eight markets where Disney owns stations.
- Disney filed a petition last week accusing the Trump administration of violating the First Amendment and creating a “chilling effect” on free speech rights.
Why It Matters
The immediate issue is regulatory pressure on Disney’s broadcast operations, with Gomez arguing the FCC is using investigations and license review to press media “into submission.” The broader signal is that this dispute sits alongside other FCC actions mentioned in the article, including probes of Comcast’s DEI practices and a “news distortion” complaint at CBS News over a 60 Minutes interview with Harris. For streaming and media operators, the key watch item is the next FCC move on ABC’s license review and the separate Disney filing focused on the “The View” probe.
Read full article at nbcnewyork.com
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