On Monday, ABC reaffirmed its support for “The View” as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues to investigate the daytime talk show. The network, which is owned by Disney, submitted new comments related to a petition it filed in May, seeking to have the program classified as a legitimate news show. Since that time, the petition has garnered over 77,000 supportive comments expressing concerns about potential governmental interference.
“Commenters are understandably concerned,” one comment stated. “The First Amendment does not permit the government to control editorial decisions. But that’s essentially what the commission appears to be proposing—deciding which broadcasts qualify as authentic news and compelling those deemed significant to include guests they did not select.”
ABC highlighted that the FCC acknowledged “The View” as a “real” news show back in 2002, arguing that the agency’s current bias against it stems from the political climate post-Donald Trump. The statement argued, “It’s not the program that has changed; it’s the political environment surrounding it. While the committee seems focused on daytime and late-night shows with viewpoints contrary to the current administration, the vast realm of talk radio, where candidates often appear alongside no challengers, remains largely unregulated.
It also criticized the FCC’s equal opportunity rule, which mandates candidates have equal air time, claiming it infringes on First Amendment rights. “There’s a real fear that the commission may misuse its authority to decide what counts as real journalism,” the network contended.
While ABC maintains that “The View” qualifies as genuine news under the law, a spokesperson for the FCC noted that the network should prioritize adhering to its public service obligations rather than misleading the public. The FCC’s investigation into shows like “The View,” led by Brendan Carr, was initiated earlier this year in an effort for fair treatment of political candidates.
Since this investigation began, “The View” has reportedly exhibited hesitation in featuring political guests for fear of violating equal opportunity regulations. In fact, it hasn’t hosted any politicians involved in heated election contests since Texas Senator James Talarico’s appearance in February, which raised concerns about fairness rules.
Despite the expectation that more Republicans will appear on the show in 2026, “The View” continues to have a predominantly liberal slate of guests, often criticizing Trump and other conservative figures.
