{"text":[[{"start":12.08,"text":"Walt Disney has sued the US media watchdog, accusing the Trump administration of launching a “retaliatory campaign” against the group’s ABC television networks over the content of its broadcasts."}],[{"start":24.981,"text":"The lawsuit in US federal court marks the latest escalation in a row between Disney and the Federal Communications Commission, after the regulator in April ordered a review of all broadcast television stations owned by Disney for violations of rules including “unlawful discrimination”."}],[{"start":42.649,"text":"The FCC is also probing whether longtime ABC talk show The View had violated rules requiring broadcasters to give equal airtime to opposing political candidates."}],[{"start":54.13,"text":"Disney said in a complaint in Washington District Court on Tuesday that through the FCC, the Trump administration “has waged a retaliatory campaign against ABC for a single reason: it disapproves of what ABC broadcasts”."}],[{"start":68.24,"text":"Trump has repeatedly called for the FCC to revoke ABC’s licences."}],[{"start":74.51,"text":"Disney has asked the court to declare that early licence renewal applications constitute “retaliatory action” of Disney’s rights under the First Amendment to the US constitution, which guarantees free speech."}],[{"start":85.847,"text":"“Again and again, the administration has attacked ABC’s speech — the stories its journalists report and the viewpoints its network programmes air,” it said."}],[{"start":95.816,"text":"ABC’s legal team includes Paul Clement, a prominent conservative lawyer and former US solicitor-general. He has argued more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court, notching up victories on gun rights and religious freedoms, but more recently defended law firms facing Trump sanctions and Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, whom Trump tried to fire."}],[{"start":117.251,"text":"The FCC said the agency has been examining claims that Disney engaged in “illegal DEI discrimination” for more than a year and added that the lawsuit signals the company is “obviously very concerned about the FCC’s proceeding”."}],[{"start":131.855,"text":"“All broadcasters have a legal obligation to operate in the public interest — even Disney,” it said."}],[{"start":139.36,"text":"Disney has surprised many in the media industry with its resolve in battling against the licence review by the FCC, accusing the regulator of trying to intimidate broadcasters into self-censorship. The stations’ licence renewals were not scheduled before 2028."}],[{"start":154.305,"text":"Brendan Carr, the Trump-appointed FCC chief, in April ordered a review of the broadcast television stations owned by ABC. The move came about a week after a joke told by Jimmy Kimmel about “Lady Trump” looking like an expectant widow was delivered days before a shooting took place at the White House correspondents’ dinner. This caused the US president to call on ABC to fire its late-night host. Carr denied the Disney review was related to Kimmel in an interview with the FT earlier this year."}],[{"start":185.871,"text":"Disney has settled disputes with the administration in the past, taking Kimmel off the air for about a week after Carr publicly attacked his comments made in the aftermath of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk."}],[{"start":197.68,"text":"Disney also paid out $15mn to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Trump against ABC in 2024. Rivals have taken similar action; CBS settled a 60 Minutes lawsuit in July 2025 brought by Trump over CBS’s editing of a Kamala Harris interview."}],[{"start":217.91,"text":"The US media landscape has become politically charged in recent years, with a president prone to attack media outlets he perceives to be critical of his administration and leaving some executives more nervous about their coverage."}],[{"start":229.858,"text":"However, media owners are fighting back against legal threats by Trump and members of his administration. The BBC is currently fighting a $10bn defamation lawsuit brought by Trump, which has already forced the US president to amend his claim to avoid the UK broadcaster gaining access to financial records."}],[{"start":248.71,"text":"Meanwhile, CNN on Monday said a personal attack by the White House against one of its senior correspondents was “beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press”."}],[{"start":263.12,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1787102889_1915.mp3"}