Why Is 6ABC Asking Viewers to Contact the FCC?

Why Is 6ABC Asking Viewers to Contact the FCC?

If you’ve been scrolling through Facebook lately, chances are you’ve seen a post from 6ABC Action News warning that the FCC is “questioning their commitment” to Philadelphia and could potentially take the station off the air.

The post has sparked a lot of confusion, with many people wondering if Philadelphia’s most-watched television station is really about to disappear.

The short answer is no.

6ABC is not shutting down, and viewers aren’t going to wake up tomorrow and find Action News gone. But there is a real battle happening behind the scenes between Disney-owned ABC stations and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

So what exactly is happening?

Back in April, the FCC ordered ABC’s eight company-owned television stations, including Philadelphia’s WPVI-TV (6ABC), to go through an accelerated license renewal process years ahead of schedule. The FCC says it wants to review whether the stations are operating in the public interest and complying with federal broadcasting rules.

Those stations include major ABC outlets in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno.

ABC and Disney argue that the move is politically motivated and have called the early review unconstitutional. The company says its stations have a long history of serving their communities and believes the government is unfairly targeting the network.

That’s where the Facebook posts come in.

6ABC and other ABC-owned stations have launched a public campaign encouraging viewers to submit comments to the FCC before a July 29 deadline. The station says the FCC is threatening its ability to remain on the air and wants supporters to make their voices heard.

Now, could the FCC technically revoke a station’s broadcast license?

Yes.

That’s why broadcast stations have to renew them periodically. However, media experts point out that it is extremely rare for a major television station to actually lose its license. In reality, what is happening right now is a regulatory review process, not an order forcing 6ABC off the air.

For viewers in the Philadelphia area, nothing changes today. Action News remains on the air, and the station’s license remains active while the FCC review continues.

So if you’ve been seeing friends share the post and wondering whether 6ABC is really disappearing, the answer is no. What you’re seeing is part of a much larger dispute between ABC, Disney, and the FCC that could ultimately have implications far beyond Philadelphia.