Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr confirmed Wednesday that the agency has opened enforcement proceedings involving ABC’s daytime talk show The View, citing concerns over whether the program qualifies for an exemption under federal “equal time” rules for political candidates.
Carr made the comments during an appearance on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, where he discussed recent scrutiny surrounding political interviews on broadcast television and the FCC’s role in ensuring fairness during election cycles.
“Disney has a program called The View,” Carr said. “And they’ve been asserting the position that The View is what is known as ‘bona fide news’ in the statute. If you are bona fide news, you don’t have to give candidates equal air time.”
“But Disney and The View have not established that that program is, in fact, bona fide news,” Carr added. “We’ve started enforcement proceedings, taking a look at that.”
Investigation Comes Amid Colbert Controversy
Carr’s remarks came after late-night host Stephen Colbert claimed CBS lawyers discouraged The Late Show from airing an interview with Texas State Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat running in the state’s U.S. Senate primary.
Colbert suggested the network was concerned about new FCC guidance regarding the equal-time rule, which requires broadcasters using public airwaves to provide equal opportunities to opposing political candidates.
“This was Democrat-on-Democrat violence,” Carr told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. He argued CBS did not block the interview outright, but instead warned that airing it could trigger equal-time requirements for other candidates.
“CBS was very clear that Colbert could run the interview that he wanted with that political candidate,” Carr said. “They just said, you may have to comply with equal time… But instead of doing that, they claimed that they were victims.”
CBS later issued a statement denying it barred the interview.
“The Late Show was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico,” the network said. “The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates… and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled.”
Carr Says FCC Will Hold Broadcasters Accountable
Carr framed the enforcement action as part of a broader effort to prevent what he described as legacy media influence over elections and public opinion.
“The equal-time rule at its core is about stopping legacy media from picking winners and losers in elections,” Carr said. “It’s so that the American people can decide.”
He added that the FCC intends to ensure broadcasters follow existing law.
“We’re going to enforce the law and hold broadcasters accountable,” Carr said. “The days that these legacy media broadcasters get to decide what we can say, what we can think, who we can vote for are over.”
Carr did not confirm reports suggesting the investigation into The View was triggered by the show’s own interview with Talarico earlier this year, but reiterated that the agency is reviewing whether the program legitimately qualifies as “bona fide news” under federal statute.
Carr also said the FCC would continue administering the equal-time rule in accordance with current law, particularly as political campaigns intensify ahead of upcoming elections.
“Perhaps Colbert and other establishment Democrats want to put the thumb on the scale… but we’re going to enforce the law,” he said.
