FCC opens public comment period on ABC license renewals

The Federal Communications Commission has opened a public comment period on ABC-owned stations’ early license-renewal review, moving the dispute into a more formal and potentially more contentious phase. Comments and petitions in the renewal proceeding are due by June 29, 2026.

The new deadline is the latest step in a clash that began with the FCC’s April order forcing ABC to file renewal applications years before the stations’ normal schedule. The review has already drawn objections from ABC and set off a broader debate over whether the agency is applying routine broadcast oversight or political pressure.

The stations covered by the proceeding are in eight markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, San Francisco, Fresno and Raleigh-Durham. Their ordinary renewal window had been set for 2028 through 2031, making the accelerated process a significant departure from the usual timetable.

How the dispute escalated

ABC stations filed objections after the FCC’s early-renewal order and described the move as unconstitutional. The company filed its renewals under protest and has argued that the agency’s actions amount to retaliation and a threat to press freedom.

The Guardian reported that ABC has hired veteran litigator Paul Clement to represent it in the FCC matters. The legal posture suggests the company is preparing for a prolonged administrative fight if the agency continues to press the proceeding.

FCC chair Brendan Carr has defended the review as part of a public-interest obligation for broadcasters. He has also tied the matter to an investigation into Disney and ABC’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices, a rationale that critics say underscores the political sensitivity of the case.

What the comment period opens

The public comment phase creates an opening for outside groups to weigh in and potentially file petitions to deny the renewals. If those filings gain traction, the matter could move beyond a paper review into hearings, appeals or other drawn-out FCC processes.

AP reported that ABC stations in seven other markets filed similar objections alongside WABC in New York. That detail suggests the company’s resistance is not limited to one flagship station, but extends across the affected portfolio.

The FCC has not said publicly how aggressively it plans to pursue the applications after the comment window closes. What happens next will depend on whether the record attracts formal petitions, whether ABC files additional replies and whether the agency decides any of the stations require further review.

Separate The View inquiry

The license-renewal proceeding is unfolding alongside a separate FCC comment window on whether ABC’s The View qualifies for an equal-time exemption. That comment period remains open until June 22, 2026, one week before the renewal comment deadline.

The two tracks are distinct, but they broaden the regulatory pressure on ABC and Disney. If the FCC challenges The View’s exemption, that inquiry could affect programming, while the station-renewal case could have more direct consequences for ABC’s broadcast footprint.

Stakes and next steps

The stakes extend beyond ABC’s local stations. The case could become a test of how aggressively the FCC can use renewal proceedings against a national broadcaster, and it raises First Amendment and government-retaliation concerns for critics of the agency’s approach.

The immediate dates to watch are June 22, when comments close in the separate The View proceeding, and June 29, when the ABC renewal comment period ends. After that, the FCC will have to decide whether the record supports further action, including petitions to deny or a hearing designation.

The broader dispute is likely to remain active until those deadlines pass and the agency shows how it intends to handle the filings. For now, the opening of public comment marks a procedural escalation rather than a final decision, but one that materially raises the stakes for ABC.

Timeline

• April 28, 2026: The FCC ordered an early review of ABC-owned station licenses.
• May 28, 2026: ABC stations filed objections and renewed under protest.
• June 13, 2026: Reporting said the FCC opened the public comment period on the renewal proceeding.
• June 22, 2026: Comment window closes in the separate The View equal-time inquiry.
• June 29, 2026: ABC renewal comment period closes.