For months, major media companies have seemed determined to avoid conflict with President Trump and his allies. Lawsuits were settled. Executives made visits to Mar-a-Lago. Media companies appeared eager to stay out of the political crossfire.
Now ABC is doing something different.
In this episode of Archer's Line, Rob Archer looks at ABC's new public campaign against the FCC, including ads running on ABC-owned stations and appeals to viewers to contact regulators directly. The campaign comes after the FCC subjected ABC-owned stations, including KABC Los Angeles, to an unusually early license review and opened a separate proceeding involving The View.
The bigger question may be whether ABC's actions signal a broader shift inside the media industry. After months of accommodation and concessions, are some companies deciding that keeping their heads down isn't providing much protection?
Rob examines the growing battle between media companies and regulators, the limits of corporate appeasement, and why television stations are suddenly asking viewers to help defend their licenses.
For more articles, podcasts, and commentary, visit Archer's Line at TheRobArcher.com.
