Conservative group asks FCC to deny ABC license renewals

A conservative media watchdog group is asking the FCC to deny license renewals for ABC-owned stations, escalating the regulatory fight between Disney’s broadcast network and the Trump administration.

ABC encourages viewers to weigh in FCC proceedings against ‘The View,’ owned stations’ licenses

The Media Research Center filed a petition June 29, 2026, accusing ABC of partisan bias, electioneering, insufficient coverage of certain political issues and failing to meet the public interest obligations tied to broadcast licenses.

The filing comes as the FCC reviews license renewals for eight ABC-owned stations after chairman Brendan Carr ordered Disney to submit the applications ahead of the normal renewal cycle. The affected stations include outlets in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, San Francisco, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Fresno, California.

“We finally have an FCC willing to hold Disney and ABC accountable,” Media Research Center President David Bozell said in a statement. “Broadcast licenses are a privilege, not an entitlement.”

Bozell said broadcasters receive access to public airwaves in exchange for serving the public interest, arguing that ABC should not receive the benefits of broadcast licensing if it operates “like a partisan cable network.”

Congress requires the commission to determine whether a broadcaster has served the public interest when it applies for license renewal.

Earlier in 2026, the FCC took the unusual step of demanding Disney file early renewal requests.

WABC files early renewal ‘under protest,’ calls FCC order ‘unconstitutional’

ABC has pushed back against the early review, calling it an attempt to suppress speech through the regulatory process. The network did submit early requests under protest.

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‘The network also launched an on-air campaign urging viewers to support its local stations and comment in the FCC proceeding.

The Media Research Center’s filing alleges ABC’s news and entertainment programming has favored Democrats and criticized Donald Trump and Republicans. The group cited coverage of Kamala Harris and Trump during the 2024 campaign, guest bookings on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The View,” and ABC’s handling of stories involving Hunter Biden’s laptop and Joe Biden’s use of an autopen.

The group also pointed to comments Kimmel made after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, as well as George Stephanopoulos’ on-air statement that Trump had been found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. ABC later settled a defamation claim over the remark. A jury had found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, not rape.

The license renewal dispute is separate from another FCC proceeding involving “The View.” In that case, ABC and Houston station KTRK asked the commission to declare that the daytime program qualifies as a bona fide news interview program, which would exempt it from federal equal opportunities requirements for political candidates.

The Media Research Center has also opposed ABC’s position in that proceeding, arguing that “The View” functions as a partisan political program rather than a news interview show.