ABC is defending The View after the show came under more political scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission over political guest appearances.
In a petition filed Thursday, the network accused the FCC of actions that “threaten to upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech.”
The clapback follows comments from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who said the agency was examining whether The View still qualifies as a “bona fide news interview program” after hosting Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico earlier this year.
Programs that receive that designation are exempt from the FCC’s Equal Time Rule, which can require hosts to provide similar airtime opportunities to political opponents. ABC claimed in the filing that The View has operated under the same standards for years and received formal recognition from the FCC in 2002.
“Some may dislike certain — or even most — of the viewpoints expressed on The View or similar shows,” the petition stated, adding that disagreement does not explain limiting speech through regulatory action.
The filing also argued that other talk shows and late-night programs have featured political candidates without facing similar questions from regulators.
