LOS ANGELES, California, September 4, 2026 — Disney had sued the agency, but on Thursday the Federal Communications Commission requested that a federal judge throw out that lawsuit. Disney had sued to prevent early reviews of ABC licences for its eight owned stations. A hearing is set for October 5.
The battle has emerged this year as one of the most closely watched media regulatory fights. It raises issues of presidential control over broadcast content decisions. Media law experts said the case could have implications for future license disputes.
An Unusual Early Review
The early reviews, months ahead of the normal schedule, were ordered in April by FCC Chair Brendan Carr. The commission had not scheduled the stations’ license renewals to be voted on until October 2028. It was the first time in over 50 years that the FCC ordered an expedited pre-emptive inquiry.
The agency that oversees broadcast licensing, the Federal Communications Commission, continues to have court filings and case history available. Carr has stated he hasn’t yet determined whether to send Disney’s licenses for a hearing. The agency agreed to give Disney a minimum 48 hours’ notice of any such referral.
The timing is connected to a controversial late-night meeting
The reviews were requested one day after Trump publicly called for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel. Previously, Trump has applied pressure on broadcasters over any of their programming he views as contemptuous of his presidency. He has also asked the FCC to revoke stations’ licenses altogether.
As Disney’s lawsuit contends, just the existence of such a review process constitutes “government interference” in what it considers an editorial decision. The company argues in its filing that a more rigorous FCC review would have chilling effects on First Amendment-protected speech. This is background on broadcast license standards from the Federal Judicial Center, a nonpartisan judicial research agency.
A New Judge Now is Assigned over the Case
The case is being heard by U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan in Washington. She chose the date for the hearing of October 5 after considering initial filings from each side. Neither side has said whether there are settlement discussions ahead of that date.
The case joins a growing line of clashes between media companies and federal banks. The Congressional Research Service, which provides regulatory assessments for lawmakers, tracks similar disputes over broadcast licensing. The analysis suggests the decision could influence future FCC leadership in how aggressively it decides to scrutinize broadcaster behavior, as Politico reports.
What’s at Stake for Disney
The eight ABC owned radio stations by Disney are located in key metropolitans nationwide. Each of those licenses lost would have been a major setback for the company’s broadcasting wing. The FCC has not indicated how it might act should the court rule against Disney.
Thus far, neither side has discussed settling publicly as they prepare for court in October. Disney’s claims are premature because no license has actually been revoked, the filing from the FCC argued Thursday. Procedural argument, judges say legal experts could either help or not as the case moves beyond early motions.
Broadcasters and advocates for press freedom are seeing the case as a possible manifestation of bigger pressure on media organizations. A number of media law scholars had filed amicus briefs backing Disney’s First Amendment arguments. The FCC has not yet publicly responded to those filings ahead of this month’s hearing.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (a nonprofit legal resource) maintains a record of press freedom protections relating to the case. This mirrors the course of other broadcast licensing disputes in which political pressure has come into play. It has not formally weighed in on the specifics of the Disney case.
