Federal telecom regulators signaled they could move against ABC's broadcast licenses amid fallout from Jimmy Kimmel's joke, but legal experts say forcing Disney to take stations dark would be legally and practically difficult. That regulatory posture culminated in an FCC order for early renewals and an early review now condemned by ABC-owned stations as unlawful and unconstitutional, escalating the public conflict. The network frames the licensing pressure as politically motivated, and the matter is likely to lead to protracted litigation.
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