Could the FCC really yank ABC's TV licenses amid Trump spat with Kimmel?

MoneyWatch Could the FCC yank ABC's TV licenses amid Trump spat with Kimmel? .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Mary Cunningham Mary Cunningham Reporter, MoneyWatch Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. She previously worked at "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program. Read Full Bio Mary Cunningham May 1, 2026 / 5:00 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The Federal Communications Commission would face major obstacles in stripping Disney of broadcast licenses for its ABC television stations, according to legal experts.The FCC on Tuesday ordered an early review of the ABC licenses, saying it is investigating the network as part of its ongoing probe into Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion practices. ABC owns eight TV stations, including WABC-TV in New York and KABC-TV in Los Angeles.The timing of the expedited review is drawing scrutiny, as it occurred the day after President Trump called for Jimmy Kimmel's firing. This followed a joke Kimmel made on his late-night ABC talk show that angered Mr. Trump and his wife, Melania Trump. "This is a way to put pressure on Disney and ABC to achieve different programming and to get them to fire Jimmy Kimmel," Katie Fallow, deputy litigation director of Columbia University's Knight First Amendment Institute, told CBS News, adding that the timing of the FCC's action is "highly suspect."Blair Levin, a policy analyst with investment adviser New Street Research who previously worked at the FCC, said in a report that the "timing of the order is strong evidence that the motive for the early renewal process relates to the president's call to fire Kimmel, not an ABC employment action."FCC allegations against DisneyLaunched in March 2025, the FCC's probe into Disney centers on whether the company's DEI policies violated federal anti-discrimination rules. In a letter to then-Disney CEO Robert Iger last...