First Amendment advocates blast the FCC's early review of ABC broadcast licenses
First Amendment advocates have criticized the FCC's decision to initiate an early review of ABC's broadcast licenses, calling it politically motivated and a threat to free speech. The move follows controversial jokes by ABC's Jimmy Kimmel about First Lady Melania Trump and public calls from President Trump and his aides to fire Kimmel. Critics, including civil liberties groups and the FCC's lone Democratic commissioner, say the timing suggests retaliation over content, not a genuine regulatory concern. ABC and Disney have defended their programming and pledged to respond through legal channels.
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U.S. newsFirst Amendment advocates blast the FCC's early review of ABC broadcast licenses"The FCC is neither the journalism police nor the humor police," a free speech nonprofit group said of the Trump administration's broadcast industry watchdog.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and ABC logo.ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 28, 2026, 4:36 PM EDTBy Daniel ArkinFree speech advocates sounded the alarm Tuesday over the Federal Communications Commission’s challenge to ABC’s broadcast licenses, with some decrying the move as a threat to the First Amendment and a clear example of federal overreach.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.“The FCC is neither the journalism police nor the humor…
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