ABC vs FCC Over Free Speech | Lubbock News

ABC is suing the FCC, accusing it of retaliating against their critical journalism and Jimmy Kimmel’s jokes by threatening their broadcast licenses — a move they call an “existential threat” to free speech. The agency, led by Chairman Brendan Carr, has ordered an early review of ABC’s eight stations, citing public interest concerns, even though such reviews are typically every eight years. This isn’t the first clash: Carr previously targeted “The View” for its political critiques, attempting to apply equal-time rules — which ABC argues don’t apply since it’s a news program. The lawsuit warns that if the FCC wins, it sends a chilling message to all media: toe the line or face consequences. Carr claims broadcasters must serve the public interest, even suggesting companies could “take action” on Kimmel or face more FCC scrutiny. But Democrat Anna Gomez calls the FCC’s actions censorship and praises ABC’s legal fight as a vital stand against government intimidation — urging others to resist similar pressure. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/8bf16b22bbe715e4