Disney CEO Addresses ABC’s Future Amid FCC Investigation
Disney’s CEO, Josh D’Amaro, expressed his willingness to continue leading ABC in a manner he deems appropriate, insisting that the news division won’t yield to pressures stemming from an FCC inquiry regarding its broadcast license renewal.
He stated, “Our position on this is clear. We’re very principled on this. We’re going to stand up for what we believe is journalistic integrity, and we’re not going to be dictated to how to run that side of the business.” D’Amaro shared these thoughts during a CNBC interview at Disney’s D23 Expo, adding, “I think our filing speaks for itself. We love what we do. We tell great stories. I think we do it well. We’re doing it all over the world, and we’re going to stay committed to it.”
ABC is currently facing scrutiny over allegations of left-wing bias, particularly concerning its adherence to equal time regulations in political coverage. The FCC has specifically targeted ABC’s daytime talk show, The View, which has featured guests with far-left views and often promotes activism against Democratic policies.
Just last month, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr shared a video on social media highlighting some of the more controversial moments from The View, expressing concerns about potential violations of federal equal time mandates.
In his post, Carr remarked, “Disney insists to the FCC that ABC’s ‘The View’ is a ‘bona fide news show,'” while also noting that Disney contends its programming decisions are based on “newsworthiness” rather than political bias.
“The FCC will make its decision based on all relevant evidence and precedent,” he added in another post on July 30.
The video illustrated various instances where members of The View appeared to exclusively support Democrats while criticizing Republicans.
D’Amaro also clarified in his CNBC interview that Disney is not looking to spin off ABC, ESPN, or any other traditional networks. He stated, “They still continue to spin off cash for us. The team has done a great job integrating them into our streaming capabilities as well,” expressing satisfaction with the current situation.
Additionally, he reaffirmed Disney’s commitment to supporting and expanding Disney+.
