Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr speaks during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee oversight hearing in Washington, DC, U.S., Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
Kent Nishimura | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Disney ” responded Thursday to the Federal Communications Commission as part of a process to early renew the broadcast licenses of eight of the company’s stations.
Disney said in its filings that it was submitting the requests “under protest in response to an unlawful, arbitrary and unconstitutional order” by the FCC.
In late April, the FCC announced it was launching a preliminary review of Disney-owned ABC stations years ahead of schedule, following concerns about the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The licenses of the eight stations were initially due to be renewed between 2028 and 2031.
Last year, the FCC, the federal entity that regulates the media and telecommunications industry, opened an investigation into the DEI efforts of Disney and other media companies.
The agency said it began investigating Disney last March for possible violations of the Communications Act of 1934 and FCC rules regarding its ban on unlawful discrimination.
In April, the FCC said it had determined additional measures were necessary. Disney had until Thursday to file renewals.
The FCC’s first review came shortly after ABC faced renewed political backlash from President Donald Trump following comments by comedian Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night talk show on the broadcast network.
The timing raised eyebrows from critics of the Trump administration — as well as a sitting FCC commissioner — who said the review was politically motivated.
In the filing Thursday, Disney said it opposed the process and added that the FCC had not requested an early renewal in more than five decades.
“The order serves no legitimate purpose,” Disney said in the filing. “There is no information that the request will reveal that the Commission could not obtain through other means. The order is inconsistent with the legitimate exercise of investigatory power and is clearly inconsistent with the First Amendment.”
In a statement released Thursday, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr defended the agency’s actions and said they stemmed from the agency’s investigation into Disney’s DEI practices that began last year. He said Disney “filed these applications to renew its ABC broadcast licenses only after the FCC informed the company that its responses to the agency’s investigation had been misleading, deficient and inappropriate.”
He added that the FCC will “follow the facts and the law wherever they lead.”