FCC boss Brendan Carr maintains early ABC license renewal is about DEI probe, not Jimmy Kimmel controversy

Eight Disney-owned ABC affiliates will have to prove to Carr that they have been operating in the public interest. 

But as Trump and his allies call for ABC to show Kimmel the door, Carr has maintained that the early renewal probe is part of an ongoing look at Disney's diversity, equity and inclusion [DEI] practices and the Mouse House initially failed to produce necessary documents. 

"If they produced the documents on the original deadline, I don't think we'd be in the same temporal moment as we are right now," Carr continued. "We don't think they were entirely forthcoming." 

Carr said the FCC can't "mess around" because discrimination is an important issue. 

"Maybe they'll take it more seriously at this point," Carr said. 

Disney-owned ABC affiliates' licenses were originally scheduled to be renewed between 2028 and 2031, but Trump's FCC expedited the process. 

"Our DEI review is going to continue and is going to be part of that. We are calling their licenses in for early renewal; I think they have eight station licenses. Once they make that filing, then anyone can file petitions to deny," Carr said, adding there is plenty of case law stating public interest expectations for broadcast networks. 

"Disney, as part of the filing, is going to have to come in and demonstrate that they've been operating in the public interest," Carr said. "They're going to have to demonstrate that they've met their burden." 

Kimmel, who insisted it was a joke about Trump's age and not an assassination jab, has continued to mock Trump on a nightly basis.  

During the news conference, Carr was also asked if he agreed with Trump's call for ABC to fire Kimmel. 

"It's not just the president. You've got many members of Congress who have expressed this view. The first lady has expressed her view, the president has expressed his view. … There [are] a lot of people that agree with the president on this one," Carr said at a news conference before being asked if he personally agreed. 

"There is a lot of people." 

KFSN-TV in Fresno, KABC-TV in Los Angeles, KGO-TV in San Francisco, WLS-TV in Chicago, WABC-TV in New York, WTVD in North Carolina, WPVI-TV in Philadelphia and KTRK-TV in Houston are the Disney-owned stations named by the FCC. 

Disney has said it plans to comply with the FCC's order. 

"ABC and its stations have a long record of operating in full compliance with FCC rules and serving their local communities with trusted news, emergency information and public‑interest programming. 

"We are confident that record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels. Our focus remains, as always, on serving viewers in the local communities where our stations operate."