Pull ABC’s Broadcast License? After the Last Few Days? Hell, Yes!

The American Spectator ^ | September 17, 2025, 10:13 PM | Scott McKay

[E. Pluribus Unum]

This has been a very, very long time coming, of course.

We’ve all heard the old line that character is destiny. It’s one of those things you might have sticking in your head every time a risk you take goes wrong or there’s a teachable moment that plays out in front of you.

You can beat yourself up pretty badly with “character is destiny.” Because it’s very true, and it’s also harsh as hell.

Bad people ultimately get what’s coming to them. It’s a timeless truth. Are there exceptions? Sure, perhaps. Nothing ever really happened to Genghis Khan, for example, and he was one of the world’s most legendary evil sons of b***hes. But, of course, we all recognize Genghis Khan as a legendary evil son of a b***h, and while that’s cold comfort for the millions of people negatively affected by Mongol conquest in Eurasia, it’s at least something.

Genghis Khan was a bad dude, but one thing he was not was weak or irresolute. He did all he did because he was an amazingly strong character capable of leading men to do extraordinary, if awful, things.

But it apparently doesn’t require that kind of strength to rise in the modern world. Mostly because we don’t impose the kinds of consequences for bad actions or abject failure that the world imposed in Genghis Khan’s time.

In fact, it’s not a bad argument to say we don’t impose much in the way of consequences at all. Little wonder there’s so much bad character on display.

For instance, there is someone who styles himself a “comedian” hosting a little-watched late-night talk show that everyone knows is going to be hauled off to the city dump soon. His name is Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s putting ABC, the broadcast network owned by Disney,...

[Ditto]

I don’t think ABC has a license. Only broadcasters on public air waves need a license… they are the local stations.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

That makes sense.

[Racketeer]

Been saying it for a couple of decades the government was allowing the networks to turn American’s into socialists.

[Texas Eagle]

Genghis Khan was a bad dude, but one thing he was not was weak or irresolute. He did all he did because he was an amazingly strong character capable of leading men to do extraordinary, if awful, things.

Yyyeahhh. I don't think we want a Genghis Khan for President. What happened to GK's kingdom after he died?

[Robert DeLong]

They all need to have their licenses pulled, for they have all pulled similar nonsense, and did so knowing that they were stating bald-faced lies for political purposes.

[Dan in Wichita]

I don’t think ABC has a license.

Oh yes, they most certainly do. That's what FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said on the Sean Hannity show last night. ABC, CBS, and NBC all get access to the public airwaves at no charge. In essence, the taxpayers are subsidizing these broadcast companies. They get licenses, but because they are not paying for access to the public airwaves, certain behaviors are expected of them; one of those behaviors is to be fair and report truthfully on matters. Kimmel absolutely violated that by saying Kirk was assassinated by a MAGA follower. A patently false statement.

The Big Three have been violating their license agreements for a long time.

[Romulus]

Grok sez:

Yes, ABC, through its parent company The Walt Disney Company, holds broadcasting licenses from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its owned-and-operated television stations. These licenses are required for ABC to operate its network of affiliate stations across the United States, as the FCC regulates all broadcast radio and television stations in the U.S. under the Communications Act. Each ABC affiliate station, including those owned directly by Disney, must have an individual FCC license to broadcast over the airwaves.

[Wallace T.]

I don't believe the networks have licenses as networks but they do own stations, with licenses often dating back to the 1940s and 1950s in the VHF band and usually in major markets like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. Not only the old three networks but also the newer ones like Fox and WB. There are also Christian networks.

Pulling their licenses to operate TV stations can be turned against Fox and TBN if the Democrats recapture the White House and Congress in 2028. It would set a bad precedent that could be turned against the broadcast enemies of the Left.

[tennmountainman]

Exactly right.

[Kleon]

I agree with this, but we’re supposed to be saying he was fired because of poor ratings.

[T-Bird45]

Your post is exactly correct. I have posted similarly on FR multiple times yet people persist in holding on to this belief of the networks holding licenses as a network. No, the individual stations hold licenses for specific channels in their markets, just as you noted. I guess there will be an ice storm in Hell before this bit of wrong information passes from those who stubbornly persist in believing.

[Mr.Unique]

I don’t think ABC has a license.

Correct. No matter how many people tell you otherwise.

[Vaduz]

Looks like Disney is Chinese owned?.

[Cronos]

After Chingiz Khan died, his khaganate was inherited by his third son, Ogodei. Ogodei expanded the khaganate further and his nephew, Hulagu Khan, destroyed Baghdad and ended the Caliphate. After Ogodei came his son, Guyuk Khan who was overthrown by his cousin, Mongke (the son of Ogodeis youngest brother Tolui, and Mongke was the brother of both Hulagu and Kublai). Only after Mongke did the khaganate shatter with the civil war between Ariq Boke and Kublai

[cuz1961]

[Texas Eagle]

Ah.

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[Shady]

Exactly. There are too many people who don’t understand this.

[BFW]

The FCC has the power and ABC should be the first.

DO IT! DO IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!