FCC Orders Early License Review for ABC Stations After Trump Criticism of Jimmy Kimmel
The Federal Communications Commission ordered ABC to seek early license renewals following President Trump's criticism of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over a joke about First Lady Melania Trump. The move has drawn scrutiny from Democrats and free speech advocates.
FCC Accelerates License Review
The Federal Communications Commission announced on Tuesday that it is accelerating the review of eight local broadcasting licenses used by ABC, citing an investigation into whether Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion policies constitute unlawful discrimination, after President Trump and first lady Melania Trump publicly demanded ABC fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over a joke he made about the first lady.
Political Response and Free Speech Concerns
"The FCC has just pulled out a sword to hang over every single news organization in America," Sen. Elizabeth Warren told NPR, stating that news organizations "report things that Donald Trump doesn't like and your entire station, your entire outfit, your entire business model could just disappear in the blink of an eye".
Kimmel Continues Commentary
On the day that the Trump administration challenged ABC's station licenses, Jimmy Kimmel had a message for President Donald Trump: The show goes on, with the comedian not referring to the news about the network's parent company, Disney, coming under highly unusual scrutiny from the federal government.