The Federal Communications Commission is reviewing the broadcast licenses of local stations directly owned by ABC.
Tuesday’s order came just days after President Trump demanded the firing of the network late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for saying first lady Melania Trump had a good “expectant widow” look.
The agency said the review is over ABC’s diversity and inclusion policies, which it said in a filing may be illegal discrimination.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has repeatedly threatened to away broadcasters’ station licenses for violating the public interest, a stated condition of the licenses under the law, and Tuesday’s filing was the first such direct step.
The immediate impact will likely be minimal although it may set up years of expensive legal wrangling, according to a report in the New York Times.
To revoke a license, the FCC must convincingly demonstrate a pattern of violating broadcast rules and regulations — not just a single joke about assassinating the president even if it came two days before an actual assassination attempt at the event Mr. Kimmel was pre-mocking.
The paper also noted that the ABC stations will then be able to appeal a possible revocation to the courts and would be able to broadcast while any legal wrangling plays out.
The eight stations that ABC directly owns aren’t a huge share of its 200-affiliate local network, but they include such important markets as New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
The Walt Disney Co. said ABC, which the entertainment behemoth owns, has always complied with FCC rules.
“That record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels,” Disney said in a Tuesday statement.
