The controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension has spilled over into broader debates about broadcast regulation, with ABC’s daytime talk show The View now under the spotlight. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said Thursday that the program may face scrutiny to determine whether it still qualifies as a bona fide news program under federal rules. If not, the show could lose its exemption from the FCC’s “equal time rule,” which requires broadcasters to provide competing political candidates with the same access.
Carr made his comments during an appearance on conservative commentator Scott Jennings’s podcast, noting that the classification of programs like The View is not automatic. “I think it’s worthwhile to have the FCC look into whether ‘The View,’ and some of these other programs, still qualify as bona fide news programs and therefore are exempt from the equal opportunity regime that Congress has put in place,” Carr said. He emphasized that while shows featuring commentary and current events often receive exemptions, others may blur the line between news and entertainment.
The equal time rule, rooted in federal law, requires broadcast stations to give legally qualified political candidates equal opportunities when they appear on air. However, there are exemptions for bona fide news programming, including newscasts, interviews, documentaries, and live coverage of news events. Programs falling into those categories are not obligated to extend equal airtime to all candidates. Carr questioned whether The View still fits that definition, given its mix of political commentary, celebrity interviews, and entertainment-driven discussions. “Potentially, you could make the argument that ‘The View’ is a bona fide news show, but I’m not so sure about that,” he added.
This is not the first time Carr has raised concerns about television programming and political access. In 2024, he criticized NBC’s Saturday Night Live for featuring then–Vice President Kamala Harris just days before the presidential election, arguing it violated the spirit of the equal time rule. NBC ultimately offered equal airtime to the Trump campaign in response. More recently, Carr directed criticism at ABC over Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, just hours before the network announced Kimmel’s suspension following his controversial remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
A spokesperson for The View did not immediately respond to media requests for comment following Carr’s remarks. The show, co-hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin, has long been known for mixing politics with cultural commentary. Episodes often include high-profile political guests, from presidential candidates to sitting lawmakers, alongside celebrity interviews and lifestyle segments. This blend has fueled debates about whether it should be treated as news or entertainment in the eyes of regulators.
While no formal FCC investigation has been launched, Carr’s comments suggest that ABC could face increased scrutiny in the near future. If the commission were to determine that The View does not qualify as a bona fide news program, the network would have to grant equal airtime to political candidates featured on the show. Such a ruling could reshape not only ABC’s programming strategy but also how political figures engage with daytime talk television. For now, the remarks serve as a warning shot in a broader debate about fairness, access, and the role of opinion-driven programming in shaping the national conversation.
