Former FCC officials have accused the agency and its chairman, Brendan Carr, of using broadcast licensing powers to pressure and censor ABC-owned stations. Their intervention raises concerns that regulatory action could be used to influence news coverage, potentially undermining editorial independence and free-speech protections.

The officials filed objections to an early review of licences for eight ABC stations, describing the process as unusual and politically motivated. They argued that renewals are normally considered closer to licence expiry and warned that the scrutiny could deter broadcasters from robust reporting; the FCC’s response was not available in the supplied material.