By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department urged a judge on Thursday not to schedule an urgent hearing on Disney's suit that seeks to block the Federal Communications Commission early review of licenses for the entertainment giant's eight company-owned ABC stations.
Disney asked U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan in Washington to hold a hearing by Tuesday on its request for a temporary restraining order while the government said that was not necessary. The FCC has
agreed to provide at least 48 hours' notice before issuing an order to refer Disney's ABC licenses for a hearing.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged broadcasters to drop comedy or news programs he dislikes or which have been critical of him or his administration, and has pressed the FCC on numerous occasions to revoke ABC's licenses.
Disney said that the FCC was seeking to coerce and retaliate against "a network that refuses to bow to the administration's demands," calling the agency's actions an "extraordinary assault on free speech."
Disney said the FCC is "effectively seeking permission to impose draconian sanctions with only 48 hours' notice." The Justice Department said issuing a hearing designation order was not a sanction but would set in place a further administrative process in which Disney and ABC "would have the opportunity to make their case."
Trump has waged an aggressive series of attacks on the news media and the latest move follows a two-year-long battle between Trump and Disney. Last month, Trump again called for ABC stations to lose their licenses because the network refused to air a prime-time speech on elections.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr calls the Disney lawsuit meritless.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter)
