The Federal Communications Commission has officially begun enforcement proceedings involving The View, according to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who confirmed the move during a Wednesday appearance on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle.
The issue? Whether ABC’s long-running daytime program violated federal Equal Time rules by hosting a declared political candidate without offering comparable airtime to opponents.
And Carr made clear this is no longer hypothetical.
“We’ve Started Enforcement Proceedings”
Carr stated plainly that the FCC is actively reviewing whether The View qualifies for the “bona fide news” exemption — the carveout that allows legitimate news programs to host candidates without triggering equal time obligations.
“If you are bona fide news, you don’t have to give candidates equal air time,” Carr said. “But, 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. And, again, we’re going to hold broadcasters accountable.”
A Screenshot of Whoopi Goldberg Speaking on The View – YouTube, The View
The enforcement action appears tied to a Feb. 2nd appearance by Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico.
Under FCC regulations, if a legally qualified candidate is given airtime on a broadcast station, competing candidates are entitled to equivalent opportunity — unless the program qualifies as legitimate news coverage.
That’s the hinge point.
The View is produced by ABC News and frequently discusses politics, but it is structured as a daytime panel talk show built around opinion, commentary, and lifestyle segments. Carr’s position signals that the FCC may no longer automatically treat such hybrid formats as exempt.
Carr Praises President Trump, Blasts Legacy Media
Carr went beyond regulatory mechanics. He framed the controversy as part of a broader collapse in public trust toward legacy media institutions — and credited President Trump with exposing what he described as media bias.
“President Trump has been so far ahead the curve on so many issues, on the economy, on border security, and perhaps nowhere else when he called out the legacy media for being fake news,” Carr said. “And yesterday the American people got to see that on full display. It’s why people have more trust and faith in gas station sushi today than they do in the legacy news media.”
U.S. President Donald Trump sits for an interview with ABC News – YouTube, ABC News
The remark came as Carr pivoted to another piece of the unfolding media drama: the controversy surrounding Stephen Colbert and The Late Show.
The Colbert Issue
Earlier in the week, Colbert told viewers that CBS had blocked him from airing an interview with Talarico because of Carr’s recent public warnings about Equal Time enforcement.
Stephen Colbert interviews Jimmy Kimmel – YouTube, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
READ: Hollywood Signals It Will Make Deals with Big Tech AI Rather Than Fight Forever
CBS denied that characterization, stating it did not “pull” the interview but instead advised producers on legal guidelines given Carr’s evolving interpretation of how the rules apply to late-night programming.
Carr seized on the back-and-forth as evidence of political theater.
He argued the controversy ultimately benefited Talarico — not harmed him.
$2 Million Surge and Manufactured Drama?
Carr pointed to what he described as a tangible political payoff: a significant fundraising spike for Talarico in the wake of the media attention. According to Carr’s remarks, the heightened visibility following the Colbert dispute helped drive more than $2 million in campaign donations.
Joy Behar on The View – YouTube, The View
He then escalated the accusation further.
“This was all about a political candidate trying to get attention and clicks,” he said. “And the news media ran with it like lemmings. They just ate it up.”
Why This Matters
If the FCC ultimately determines that The View does not qualify as “bona fide news,” the implications extend far beyond one daytime panel.
Broadcast networks could face mandatory equal airtime requirements for candidate appearances and legal risk for entertainment-adjacent political interviews.
Sunny Hostin issuing a legal notice on The View – YouTube, Page Six
Notably, Equal Time rules apply to broadcast networks — not cable channels or streaming platforms — raising additional questions about how enforcement could reshape the competitive landscape of political media exposure.
For now, the proceedings are in the early stages. No penalties have been issued. No formal ruling has been announced. But the message from Carr is unmistakable: The FCC is actively reviewing legacy broadcast programs that function as political platforms — and it is prepared to test where the news exemption ends.
Do you think the FCC will bring action against The View? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
UP NEXT: Daniel Radcliffe Urges Press Not to Pressure New Harry Potter Cast
Scummy Hotstink gonna be big mad now.
If they can find Richard Maddow is not news for purposes of defamation then there’s no way The View gets tagged as news.
Granted, defamation for a cable channel show host vs. equal time on a pathetic talk show on a regular broadcast network isn’t the same, but the principle applies.