Trump’s FCC targeted ABC. Viewers rushed to its defense

The eight local ABC television stations targeted by President Donald Trump’s Federal Communications Commission have generated a staggering amount of public support in recent weeks. ABC says the reason is clear: Supporters across the ideological spectrum “share a fundamental commitment to free speech and press freedom.” In a new legal filing, the Disney-owned network is urging the FCC to drop its politically motivated challenge to the eight station licenses — though it fully expects the challenge to continue. The filing came on Wednesday, the last day of the FCC’s public comment period for its highly unusual proceeding against the eight stations. The commission’s website shows that more than 150,000 comments were submitted; other open proceedings have at most a few hundred responses. The comments were overwhelmingly pro-ABC, with passionate defenses of local TV and the First Amendment along with criticism of the Trump administration.