FCC Chair Carr challenges The View news exemption

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr is challenging the classification of ABC's "The View" as a news program, arguing that a compilation of the show's political advocacy undermines its claim to an exemption from equal-time rules. The regulatory dispute, which also involves a broader license review of eight Disney-owned ABC stations, centers on whether broadcasters are meeting their obligation to operate in the public interest.

Carr posted a video montage to social media on July 30, 2026, featuring clips from "The View" in which co-hosts, including Ana Navarro, urged viewers to vote for Democratic candidates and criticized Republicans. The posting was a direct response to Disney's argument that the long-running talk show is a "bona fide news interview program," a designation that would exempt it from federal rules requiring broadcasters to provide rival political candidates with comparable airtime. Carr stated the FCC would examine all evidence, including whether editorial decisions are based on newsworthiness rather than partisan purposes.

Disney and ABC have fired back, asserting in formal filings that the FCC settled this question in 2002 when it previously...