ABC Urges Public to Defend Stations Amid FCC Scrutiny

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ABC, owned by Disney, has launched an on-air campaign urging viewers to support its local stations amid growing pressure from the White House. The network’s largest owned-and-operated station, WABC in New York, has encouraged viewers to voice their concerns during a public comment period that ends on July 29. Other stations, including KTRK in Houston, have also posted similar calls to action on their websites.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently ordered ABC to file early licence renewals for its eight local television stations. The affected stations serve markets in San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles, among others. The FCC uses licence renewals to determine whether stations have served the public interest.

In April, FCC Chairman Brenden Carr’s comments were seen as supporting President Trump’s efforts to reshape ABC. Seth Stern, director of advocacy for the Freedom of the Press Foundation, stated that Carr’s actions “taint any claim by his FCC to be calling balls and strikes when investigating ABC or its programming.”

Dissenting FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez sent a letter to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro warning about the potential misuse of the FCC’s authority. Gomez noted that many of the stations in question are not scheduled for review for another five years.

ABC has argued that the administration’s actions violate the network’s First Amendment rights. The campaign comes amid escalating pressure from Trump, who recently criticized ABC News over its coverage of renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall and allegations of vandalism.

In response to criticism, Trump suggested he was preparing another lawsuit over ABC’s coverage and wrote, “I like their money.” The administration has long been critical of ABC.

Source: Al Jazeera