The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) criticized Disney on Monday for its public campaign, as the agency investigates ‘The View’ and ABC’s broadcast licenses. This marks a new conflict between Disney and the regulators. The FCC, led by Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump, started in February to examine if ‘The View’ breached equal-time rules after James Talarico, a Democratic Senate candidate in Texas, appeared on the show.
‘The View,’ a show first aired in 1997, features a panel of women interviewing politicians and celebrities. ABC launched a campaign urging viewers to oppose what it describes as threats to free speech. On-air promotions encourage the public to petition the FCC to let viewers decide their programming. Ads feature a voice-over stating, “’The View’ has welcomed your favorite guests and covered the issues you’ve cared about for nearly 30 years. Now the FCC wants to control who is allowed to appear on the show. Viewers, use your voice. Scan this QR code. You have until July 6.”
An FCC spokesman responded to ABC’s campaign, saying, “Disney wants the FCC to classify ‘The View’ as a ‘bona fide news program.’ And it has chosen to run a campaign of misinformation to make its case—misleading viewers about the law. That is a choice.”
‘Bona fide’ news programs, under FCC rules, are not subject to equal-time regulations that require broadcasters to offer equal opportunities to different political candidates. Carr commented on social media Monday, questioning if ‘The View’ qualifies as bona fide news. ABC defended in a filing to the FCC in May, claiming ‘The View’ has enjoyed an exemption to the equal-time rule for over twenty years.
ABC’s filing was made by KTRK-TV, an ABC-owned station in Houston, which was instructed to formally request if ‘The View’ should continue under the exemption. ABC argues that it has never been disputed that the show is a bona fide news program. They remarked, “Some may dislike certain — or even most — of the viewpoints expressed on ‘The View’ or similar shows. Such dislike, however, cannot justify using regulatory processes to restrict those views.”
The FCC previously issued an order in April for Disney’s stations to renew their broadcast licenses earlier than scheduled, following tensions between the White House and ABC over a joke by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel about Melania Trump. Carr emphasized that the ABC license review is about examining Disney’s diversity practices, not regulating speech.