Since entering office for his second term, President Donald Trump has focused on targeting so-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies held by a wide range of businesses and organizations.
The DEI movement grew out of a leftist push for equal outcomes rather than equal opportunity, morphing into a bureaucratic behemoth critics say amounted to open discrimination against straight, White males in particular.
In its latest move, the Federal Communications Commission is taking aim at policies implemented by Disney, as Politico reported:
Brendan Carr’s embrace of President Donald Trump’s media criticism reached new heights Tuesday — showing a willingness to target broadcasters’ most valuable assets.
The Federal Communications Commission chair’s abrupt move to reconsider the broadcasting licenses of Disney’s eight television stations marks an escalation of conservatives’ many complaints about the mammoth entertainment company’s diversity policies and programming on ABC. It was also the first real move by the FCC toward carrying out Trump’s frequent threats over the years to revoke the licenses of networks whose programs have angered him.
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Carr issued an order Tuesday calling in the stations’ licenses for “early renewal” years ahead of their due dates — and suggesting the action was spurred by Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices. The commission has been investigating the company for “unlawful discrimination,” the order said.
Though not referenced directly in Carr’s announcement, various media reports made note of its timing amid calls from the White House for ABC (a Disney-owned company) to fire host Jimmy Kimmel over some of his on-air rhetoric:
The move has attracted support from a coalition of conservatives, but not everyone on the right agrees with the FCC’s direction:
Sen. Ted Cruz is pushing back on the Republican-led FCC’s review of ABC’s broadcast licenses following Jimmy Kimmel’s joke about Melania Trump:
“It is not government’s job to censor speech, and I do not believe the FCC should operate as the speech police,” Cruz told Punchbowl… pic.twitter.com/YulAr8a6rW
Disney confirmed on Tuesday that it received the FCC’s order initiating an accelerated review of its licenses. The FCC said in the letter that Disney now has 30 days — or until May 28 — to file for the renewals.
“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,” Disney said in a statement. “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.”
The FCC’s move to require early renewals from Disney comes as ABC faces renewed backlash from President Donald Trump this week following comments made by comedian Jimmy Kimmel in an opening monologue for his late night TV show that airs on ABC’s network.
Trump revived his push for ABC to take Kimmel off the air after the host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” referred to First Lady Melania Trump as an “expectant widow” during the show last week, days ahead of an alleged assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Here’s some additional coverage of the latest developments:
