Disney ABC urges viewers to comment on FCC actions

The Walt Disney Company and its ABC network launched a public campaign on Monday, June 22, urging viewers to defend its local stations and the talk show "The View" against what it calls an unprecedented regulatory threat from the Federal Communications Commission. The campaign includes television and digital ads that direct the public to file comments with the FCC ahead of two separate deadlines this summer.

The FCC, led by Chairman Brendan Carr, has initiated two major actions against Disney-owned ABC. The first is an investigation into whether "The View" qualifies as a bona fide news program, which would exempt it from equal-time rules for political candidates. This probe was reportedly sparked by an appearance from Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. The second action is an order requiring ABC's eight owned-and-operated stations to file for early license renewals, a process that normally occurs every eight years without issue. The stations, located in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, San Francisco, Raleigh-Durham, and Fresno, were compelled to submit their renewal applications by May 28, 2026, years ahead of their scheduled dates in 2028...