Media News Daily: Top Stories for 07/08/2026

Conservative Groups Ask FCC to Deny ABC License Renewals

The Guardian reports that several prominent conservative organizations have petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to deny license renewal requests for ABC’s eight local television stations. The groups, including the Center for American Rights, accuse ABC of political, racial, and sexual bias, as well as supporting the Chinese Communist Party. The challenge follows earlier action by FCC Chair Brendan Carr requiring ABC to apply years ahead of schedule to maintain its broadcast authority, raising concerns over political pressure on broadcasters and the future of license renewal reviews. (Read More) (The Guardian Rating)

Judge Dismisses Trump Media’s $3.7 Billion Washington Post Lawsuit

A federal judge has dismissed Trump Media’s $3.7 billion defamation lawsuit against The Washington Post, the newspaper reports. U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber granted The Post’s motion for summary judgment, ruling that Trump Media failed to provide evidence that a jury could use to find, by clear and convincing evidence, that the newspaper acted with actual malice. The decision marks another major legal defeat for Trump Media in its efforts to pursue defamation claims against news organizations over coverage it says harmed the company. (Read More) (Washington Post Rating)

Meta Faces Potential $1.4 Trillion in Child Safety Penalties

Meta could face penalties totaling as much as $1.4 trillion in child safety litigation brought by California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey. The states allege that Meta intentionally designed its platforms to be addictive for young users and misled the public about safety risks. Meta disclosed the estimate based on how potential penalties could be calculated if the states prevail, with fines multiplied by the number of alleged violations involving teen and young users. The company disputes the claims, arguing that social media addiction is not an established psychiatric condition and that state attorneys general lack evidence it misled consumers. (Read More) (Social Media Today Rating)