WASHINGTON — Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said Thursday that ABC is running a “campaign of misinformation” about the agency’s inquiry into “The View,” accusing the Disney-owned network of misleading viewers about the law.
Carr made the remarks after the FCC’s monthly meeting, directly addressing the on-air campaign ABC launched Monday. The network began running spots during “The View” that told viewers the FCC “wants to control who is allowed to appear on the show” and urged viewers to file comments supporting the show on the FCC’s website.
“We’re not trying to control who goes on the show,” Carr said. He said the FCC is “enforcing the provisions” of federal communications law passed by Congress.
The dispute centers on whether “The View” qualifies for an exemption from the FCC’s equal-time rules, which require broadcasters that feature a candidate during election season to offer similar airtime to rival contenders. Congress adopted the exemption in 1959 for appearances on bona fide news programs. “The View” has operated under such an exemption since 2002.
In January, the FCC issued guidance on the equal-time rules that was widely seen as targeting daytime and late-night shows that often feature Democratic politicians. The guidance said shows “motivated by partisan purposes” would not be entitled to the exemption. In February, the FCC sent a letter to ABC’s Houston station asking it to justify the show’s status as a news program after “The View” interviewed Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico.
ABC has characterized the FCC’s actions as an effort to chill political speech the Trump administration does not like.
As of Thursday, nearly 50,000 public comments had been filed at the FCC regarding the probe. Carr said the volume of comments would not affect the process. “We’re going to follow the facts and the law wherever it takes us,” he said.
The regular appearances of political figures on “The View” have long raised questions about equal-time compliance under the news exemption. Last week the show hosted Vice President JD Vance, who was promoting his new book. The show is known for being critical of the Trump administration and frequently features Democratic politicians.
One commenter, Celeste Lioce, a registered Republican and fan of “The View” in North Palm Beach, Florida, told The Wall Street Journal: “It just seems like the current administration is trying to shut down the free press.”
The inquiry into “The View” is one of multiple regulatory challenges Disney’s ABC faces at the FCC. Carr has also requested an early license renewal for the eight television stations ABC owns — a seldom-used procedure that often signals the agency is preparing to challenge a licensee’s fitness. ABC has called that request another effort to chill speech. ABC has also run spots encouraging viewers to “tell the FCC to keep your trusted local station on the air,” as MSI reported on June 22.
Carr has said the agency is separately investigating whether Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives violate the FCC’s prohibition on unlawful discrimination, and that the probe is not related to ABC’s content.