Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has called on the public to provide their opinions on whether the daytime talk show The View is exempt from the so-called equal time rule. In a post on X on Friday, Carr questioned, “Is The View a ‘bona fide news interview program’?” This refers to an exemption from the long-standing regulation that requires broadcast television to afford equal opportunities to all legitimate political candidates.
Background of the Dispute
Earlier this month, ABC, which is owned by Disney, submitted a petition arguing that The View, hosted by Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg, qualifies as a “bona fide news interview program.” The FCC has now opened the matter for public comment, inviting everyday Americans, industry groups, and other interested parties to express their views. The Independent has reached out to Disney and ABC for comment.
Understanding the Equal Time Rule
The equal time rule mandates that if a broadcast station allows a political candidate to appear on air, it must provide equivalent opportunities to opposing candidates. For instance, if a Democratic candidate is interviewed for 15 minutes during primetime, the station must offer a similar slot to their Republican counterpart. However, the “bona fide” exemption permits broadcasters to interview a political candidate without offering equal time to opponents, provided the candidate is chosen based on newsworthiness rather than an intention to support or oppose a particular candidate, as the FCC clarified in a notice issued Friday.
FCC Investigation Launched in February
The FCC announced in February that it had initiated an investigation into The View after the show interviewed James Talarico, a Texas Senate candidate who subsequently won the Democratic primary. Carr stated on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, “Disney and The View have not established that that program is, in fact, bona fide news. We’ve started enforcement proceedings, taking a look at that.”
Separate Actions Against ABC
In a related move, the FCC instructed ABC late last month to apply for renewal of its broadcast licenses by Thursday, even though the licenses are not due for renewal for several years. This came after ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel joked about first lady Melania Trump having the glow of an “expectant widow.” However, the FCC suggested that the early renewal request was tied to an investigation into the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices.
Carr, appointed by President Donald Trump, has previously targeted Kimmel and fellow comedian Stephen Colbert, both critics of the president, for their on-air remarks. In September, ABC briefly suspended Kimmel’s late-night show after Carr threatened disciplinary action over comments Kimmel made following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Carr warned, “Frankly, when you see stuff like this, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Colbert, whose Late Show finale aired Thursday night after CBS cancelled it—reportedly for political reasons—claimed in February that the network banned him from broadcasting an interview with Democrat Talarico. CBS denied this narrative, and Carr commented, “CBS was very clear that Colbert could run the interview that he wanted with that political candidate. They just said, ‘you may have to comply with equal time,’ which would have meant potentially giving air time to Jasmine Crockett and another candidate. But instead of doing that, they claimed that they were victims.”
