This is Fucking Ridiculous...

If you thought the relationship between the White House and the press couldn’t get any more toxic, hold onto your hats because the FCC is about to be used as a personal hit squad. Word is leaking out that the Trump-aligned FCC, led by Brendan Carr, is preparing to file paperwork to challenge the licenses of Disney’s eight ABC-owned stations. And the reason? It’s not because of a technical violation or a public interest failure. No, this all stems from a late-night joke told by Jimmy Kimmel that apparently didn't sit well with Melania Trump. It is the definition of thin-skinned governing meeting bureaucratic overreach, and it should send a chill down the spine of every General Manager in the country.

By calling in these licenses for early renewal years before they are actually due, the FCC is signaling that the airwaves are no longer a public trust, but a leverage point for political retaliation. Stations like WABC in New York, KABC in LA, and WLS in Chicago are now being dragged into a lengthy, expensive hearing process simply because a comedian on their network’s payroll exercised his First Amendment rights. This isn’t just a "major escalation" by Carr; it’s a direct shot across the bow of every O&O and affiliate group. If the government can weaponize the licensing process because of a joke, then no station is safe from the whims of whoever happens to be sitting in the Oval Office.

The real question now is whether Disney and the leadership at these eight stations have the spine to fight back. The FCC is counting on the fact that the "hearing process" is so arduous and costly that broadcasters might eventually self-censor just to keep the peace. Brendan Carr surely knows that this move will be widely condemned by First Amendment advocates, but he clearly doesn't care. He’s playing to an audience of one. For the people working in the newsrooms at KTRK, WPVI, or KGO, this is a reminder that the "Free Press" is only as free as the regulators allow it to be. This is a dark day for the industry, and if we don't call it out for the ridiculous power play that it is, don't be surprised when your station is the next one on the list because someone on your air said something the White House didn't like.