Michael Adkison/Houston Public Media
The offices of Houston’s ABC affiliate, KTRK, pictured on Apr. 29, 2026.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ordered several television stations owned by Disney to re-file for their broadcasting licenses within 30 days, amidst a squabble over ABC content. That includes Houston-based KTRK.
On Tuesday, the FCC issued an order saying Disney may have violated the Communications Act of 1934 and FCC rules, “including the agency’s prohibition on unlawful discrimination.” As part of the order, eight television stations, including KTRK, must file for their license renewal by May 28.
The order comes amid a political fight over a joke made by Jimmy Kimmel, a late-night comedian whose show airs on ABC, which is owned by Disney. Kimmel referred to First Lady Melania Trump as looking like an “expectant widow.” President Donald Trump called for Kimmel to be fired for the joke.
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A representative for KTRK, which is also referred to as ABC 13, declined to comment for the station. A spokesperson for Disney, speaking on behalf of all eight stations, said the company stood by its content.
“We are confident that the record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Our focus remains, as always, on serving viewers in the local communities where our stations operate.”
The broadcast licenses for each of the stations were originally scheduled for renewal between 2028 and 2031.
The FCC and its chair, Brendan Carr, had previously been at odds with Disney after Kimmel made a joke about the assassination of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk in September. Kimmel was briefly suspended from his role by Disney, after Carr called for reining in broadcasters while speaking on a podcast.
The FCC also made headlines in Texas when Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico was set to appear on CBS’s late-night program hosted by Stephen Colbert. Carr had called for ending an exception for talk shows to provide equal time commitments to candidates in a political race. Citing that guideline, which was not official policy, CBS allegedly blocked Colbert from airing the interview on the network.