FCC Chair Says ABC’s Decision to Not Broadcast Trump Speech Live Will Be Part of Agency’s Review of Station Licenses

Key Points:

• FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump, stated that broadcasters should carry live speeches by the U.S. president, and the FCC will review ABC’s decision not to air Trump's July 16 speech on election security as part of an early license review of ABC-owned stations.
• President Trump criticized ABC and NBC for not broadcasting his speech live, alleging election rigging and foreign interference, and threatened to revoke their broadcast licenses, a recurring threat from him.
• Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez opposed Carr's view, emphasizing broadcasters' First Amendment rights to make editorial decisions and warning that compelling them to air content constitutes censorship and violates constitutional principles.
• The FCC's early review of ABC's licenses follows a prior unprecedented order for ABC to reapply for licenses amid investigations into Disney/ABC’s diversity and inclusion practices, which Disney has legally contested as unconstitutional.
• Disney has engaged viewers to comment on the FCC’s proceedings, framing the agency's actions as politically motivated attempts to punish speech unfavorable to the current administration.