Disney Challenges FCC Over ‘The View’ and Broadcast Licenses

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently criticized Disney for seeking public support amid ongoing investigations into ‘The View’ and ABC’s broadcast licenses. This conflict with regulators is intensifying as the FCC, under Chair Brendan Carr, looks into potential violations of equal-time rules by ‘The View’.

In February, the FCC questioned whether ‘The View’ breached equal-time regulations during James Talarico’s appearance as a Democratic candidate in Texas’s U.S. Senate race. Launched in 1997, ‘The View’ features a panel of women interviewing political figures and celebrities.

To garner viewer support, ABC started a campaign urging people to resist perceived threats to free speech. The campaign encourages viewers to petition the FCC, advocating for audience choice in programming. ABC aired spots suggesting, “‘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 spokesperson responded to ABC’s campaign, accusing Disney of pushing misinformation. They claimed Disney is misleading viewers about the law to depict ‘The View’ as a ‘bona fide news program.’ This classification would exempt it from equal-time obligations under FCC regulations, which typically require equal media opportunities for political candidates.

ABC defended ‘The View’ in a May filing to the FCC, asserting that its exemption from the equal-time rule was recognized over twenty years ago. The filing was made on behalf of KTRK-TV, ABC’s Houston station, as it sought confirmation that ‘The View’ qualified for the exemption. ABC maintained the status of ‘The View’ as a bona fide news show has never been contested.

The filing emphasized that disliking viewpoints aired on ‘The View’ cannot justify regulatory restrictions on the content. The FCC previously instructed Disney’s eight owned-and-operated TV stations to renew their broadcast licenses ahead of schedule. This decision followed a dispute involving a joke by Jimmy Kimmel about First Lady Melania Trump. Carr assured that the license examination relates to Disney’s diversity and inclusion practices, rather than the content of speech.