Conservative Groups Warn FCC Against Revoking ABC’s License
A coalition of 14 conservative and free-market organizations has urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not to revoke ABC’s broadcast license, warning that doing so could set a dangerous precedent that future administrations might wield against right-leaning media outlets. The unusual intervention, detailed in a letter sent to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on July 22, marks a cross-ideological alignment in defense of the routine, predictable nature of broadcast license renewal.
Background
The FCC, under Chairman Carr, ordered eight ABC-owned stations in April 2026 to apply early for license renewals as part of an investigation into Disney’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. The stations—KFSN-TV in Fresno, KABC-TV in Los Angeles, KGO-TV in San Francisco, WLS-TV in Chicago, WABC-TV in New York, WTVD in Durham, WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, and KTRK-TV in Houston—had their renewal dates, originally set between 2028 and 2031, expedited by the Trump-appointed FCC.
Carr has since signaled that ABC’s decision not to air President Donald Trump’s election security speech on July 16 live will factor into the review process. The FCC also has an enforcement action pending against ABC’s “The View” over potential equal-time rule violations related to a Texas Democratic Senate candidate’s appearance.
ABC has pushed back aggressively, hiring former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement to represent the network and filing an 18-page legal memo arguing that the DEI investigation is a pretext for retaliating against a disfavored broadcaster. The network contends the expedited process is inherently punitive, noting that since some licenses do not expire until 2031 and renewals can only be processed 30 days before expiration, there is “no procedural path for this proceeding to terminate favorably.”
The Conservative Coalition’s Letter
The signatories include leaders from Americans for Tax Reform, Citizens Against Government Waste, the National Taxpayers Union, and 11 other prominent conservative organizations. In their letter, obtained by Fox News, the groups praise Carr’s deregulatory record while urging restraint.
“From media and broadband to the space economy, your deregulatory record is helping unleash investment and growth, and we are grateful for your leadership in getting government out of the way,” the letter states. “It is in that same spirit that we respectfully urge the Federal Communications Commission to preserve the well-established, routine, predictable, and presumptive nature of broadcast license renewal.”
The core argument centers on precedent. The groups warn that transforming license renewal from the ministerial process Congress designed into a discretionary checkpoint would invite politicization that could ultimately harm conservative media. “Our concern is that establishing precedents of non-routine renewal creates a powerful lever that future FCCs—including ones hostile to conservative, religious, or otherwise disfavored broadcasters—would be all too willing to pull,” they wrote.
“The surest protection against that future is to keep the renewal process predictable today,” the letter declares, noting that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 made station renewals “effectively presumptive” to allow broadcasters to serve their communities without the perpetual threat of losing their licenses.
Legal and Political Analysis
The coalition’s intervention reflects a strategic recognition among conservative groups that the regulatory tools deployed against liberal media today could be turned against conservative outlets under a future Democratic administration. The Guardian has reported that former FCC counselor Gigi Sohn described the current proceedings as “open season on ABC,” adding that while Chairman Carr likely knows he cannot successfully revoke ABC’s licenses, the process itself can inflict significant damage.
Legal experts broadly agree that actual license revocation remains exceedingly difficult. Andrew Schwartzman, senior counselor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, told Ars Technica that revocation is “just legally not doable” under current law. The Communications Act of 1934 requires broadcasters to operate in the public interest, but the First Amendment bars the FCC from denying license renewal based on program content or political views. Schwartzman estimates that any renewal litigation would take two to three years, likely extending beyond the current presidential term.
Both of Carr’s predecessors—Republican Ajit Pai and Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel—rejected similar calls from Trump to revoke broadcast licenses, with Pai stating that “the FCC does not have the authority to revoke a license of a broadcast station based on the content of a particular newscast.”
What’s Next
The FCC’s review process continues to move forward. The deadline for replies to petitions to deny ABC’s licenses is August 5, after which the matter could be referred to an administrative law judge for a full trial involving discovery and witness testimony. Any adverse ruling would likely be appealed, potentially reaching the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Over 45,000 public comments have already been filed in the early license renewal docket, reflecting intense public interest in the proceeding. Meanwhile, the National Association of Broadcasters, an influential industry group with relationships across Congress, is watching closely.
The conservative groups’ letter represents a pivotal moment in the debate over government intervention in broadcasting. Whether Chairman Carr heeds their call for restraint will shape not just ABC’s fate, but the fundamental relationship between the federal government and broadcast media for years to come.