{
  "id": 1821671,
  "title": "Disney, ABC sue US regulator over threat to broadcast licences",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/disney-abc-sue-us-regulator-over-threat-to-broadcast-licences-1821671",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T22:25:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/08/19/disney-abc-sue-us-regulator-over-threat-to-broadcast-licences"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Walt Disney's ABC Television Network has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accusing the US regulatory body of engaging in a retaliatory campaign against them on behalf of the Trump administration. The lawsuit, filed in a federal district court in Washington, alleges that the FCC has been pressuring ABC to renew their broadcasting licenses earlier than scheduled, as part of a broader effort to punish the network for its speech.\n\nThe administration's actions, according to Disney and ABC, have escalated from asking for early license renewals to directly demanding that ABC be stripped of its broadcasting licenses due to its alleged negative coverage of the administration. President Donald Trump has made numerous public criticisms of ABC, particularly its late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, and has threatened to revoke the licenses of stations he perceives as overly critical of him.\n\nThis legal action comes in response to the FCC's attempts to exert control over ABC's content, a move that Disney and ABC argue is a violation of their First Amendment rights. Anna Gomez, the sole commissioner appointed by a Democratic president, has welcomed the lawsuit as a response to what she calls \"government intimidation.\" The lawsuit seeks a restraining order to prevent the FCC from taking any further action against ABC's broadcasting licenses, which are not up for renewal until 2028.",
  "summary": "The lawsuit comes after the FCC earlier this year asked ABC TV stations to renew their broadcast licences earlier than scheduled.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Disney, ABC sue US regulator over threat to broadcast licences",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/disney-abc-sue-us-regulator-over-threat-to-broadcast-licences",
        "published": "2026-08-18T22:25:57.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}