FCC reportedly eyes equal-time squeeze on The View
Bloomberg reports the FCC is preparing to say ABC’s daytime panel show is not a bona fide news program, setting up a fight with Disney.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to take a fresh swing at Disney, with ABC’s “The View” now in the regulatory spotlight, according to Bloomberg.
Bloomberg reported the agency is nearing a decision that would classify the daytime show as outside the category of a “bona fide” news program. If that ruling lands, the program would have to provide equal time to political candidates from both major sides, according to the report.
That would mark a major change for “The View,” which has operated under an exception to the equal-time requirement. The show has featured more liberal political guests than conservative ones, though Republicans do appear on the program at times.
One recent example cited in the reporting: Vice President J.D. Vance sat down with the panel in June.
Disney faces another FCC front
The “View” matter is not the only fight brewing between the FCC and Disney, the parent company of ABC.
Bloomberg also reported that Disney is the subject of a separate FCC investigation tied to its television broadcast licenses. The agency is expected to escalate that inquiry in the coming days, according to the report.
Disney is not expected to accept any FCC order quietly. Bloomberg reported the company is preparing to challenge any required changes that would affect ABC’s editorial independence.
The fight, if it proceeds as reported, would put a long-running daytime political chat show into the middle of a larger battle over broadcast rules, political speech and how much leeway networks get when booking public figures.
A tense stretch for ABC
The latest reported move follows a broader run of friction between the current administration and ABC.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr previously demanded that Jimmy Kimmel be removed from the air after Kimmel made a comment involving Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk. ABC suspended Kimmel after that episode, then later put him back on television.
That episode did not appear to cool tensions between the network and the federal agency. Now, according to Bloomberg, “The View” and Disney’s broadcast licenses are both part of the regulatory pressure facing the company.
The practical stakes could be sharp for ABC. If “The View” loses its news-program protection under the FCC’s interpretation, the show’s political bookings could be forced into a more rigid balance during candidate appearances.
For now, the reported ruling has not been described as final. Bloomberg says the FCC is nearing action, while Disney is preparing to fight any move that would limit ABC’s control over its programming choices.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.