FCC seeks public input on whether The View is bona fide news

The Federal Communications Commission is seeking public input on whether ABC's daytime talk show "The View" qualifies as a bona fide news program, a designation that would exempt it from federal equal time rules for political candidates. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the public comment period on Friday, following a petition filed earlier this month by Disney-owned ABC seeking the formal declaration.

The petition, submitted on behalf of ABC station KTRK-TV in Houston, argues that "The View" should be classified as a news interview program, comparable to established shows like "Meet the Press" or "Face the Nation." Such a classification would exempt the program from the Communications Act's equal opportunities rule, which generally requires broadcasters to provide rival political candidates comparable airtime if one candidate appears on a non-news program.

In a social media post, Carr posed the central question to the public: "Is The View a bona fide news interview program?" He noted that under FCC precedent, television shows do not qualify as bona fide news if their format and participant selections are based on partisan purposes, such as an intention to advance or harm a...