FCC Chairman Claims No White House Pressure to Go After ABC Over Kimmel Joke

Key Points:

• FCC Chairman Brendan Carr denied any White House pressure in the decision to accelerate the review of Disney’s ABC spectrum licenses, attributing the move to an investigation into potential violations of nondiscrimination rules related to Disney’s diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.
• The accelerated license review followed President Trump’s call for ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel over a controversial joke about First Lady Melania Trump, though Carr maintained the FCC’s position that the review is not about speech but about regulatory compliance.
• The National Association of Broadcasters criticized the FCC’s unusual move as undermining fairness and predictability in the license renewal process, while the National Religious Broadcasters supported the FCC’s investigation citing concerns about political violence incitement.
• Republican Senator Ted Cruz condemned the FCC’s action as government censorship, warning against the agency acting as “speech police,” a view Carr partially agreed with, emphasizing the FCC’s role in enforcing nondiscrimination rules rather than regulating speech.
• Carr responded to online criticism with a defiant meme, reflecting his combative style in the MAGA political environment, and highlighted that the FCC allows public petitions in the license review process, indicating openness to broader input on the matter.