‘The View’ Comes Under FCC Scrutiny in Aftermath of Kimmel Controversy

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said Thursday that ABC’s “The View” may face scrutiny under federal broadcasting rules if it is determined not to be a bona fide news program.

In an appearance on conservative commentator Scott Jennings’s podcast, Carr raised the question of whether the daytime talk show still qualifies as exempt from the FCC’s equal time rule. That rule requires broadcast stations to provide equal airtime and access to competing political candidates.

“I think it’s worthwhile to have the FCC look into whether ‘The View,’ and some of these other programs that you have, still qualify as bona fide news programs and therefore are exempt from the equal opportunity regime that Congress has put in place,” Carr said in the interview.

Carr noted that while some programs qualify as bona fide news programs because they cover current events and feature commentary, others may fall into a different category.

“Potentially, I would assume, you could make the argument that ‘The View’ is a bona fide news show, but I’m not so sure about that,” Carr said.

The remarks mark Carr’s latest criticism of the ABC daytime program. His comments came one day after he directed public criticism at ABC and its affiliates over Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, following Kimmel’s comments about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Hours after Carr raised the issue, ABC announced Kimmel’s suspension.

A spokesperson for “The View” did not immediately respond to Politico’s request for comment.

Trump's FCC Chair: I think it's worthwhile to have the FCC look into The View and some of those programs pic.twitter.com/aZnON5sIQ1

— FactPost (@factpostnews) September 18, 2025

Carr has previously aimed at other network programs over compliance with equal time requirements. In 2024, he criticized NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” after then-Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on the show just days before the presidential election.

“This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule,” Carr wrote at the time on X. NBC ultimately granted the Trump campaign equal time in response to the appearance.

In Thursday’s interview, Carr emphasized that late-night talk shows are typically considered bona fide news programs, which makes them exempt from the equal time requirements. “Late-night talk shows — not including ‘Saturday Night Live’ — qualify as bona fide news programs and are not subject to the rule,” Carr said.

The FCC’s equal time rule applies to broadcast license holders, not cable or streaming platforms, and is designed to prevent stations from giving disproportionate access to one political candidate over another. The law allows exemptions for news interviews, news documentaries, and bona fide news programs that include candidate appearances as part of their coverage.

Carr said his interest is in reviewing whether shows such as “The View” fall under that exemption, given their format and political discussions. He did not commit to a timeline for any review but suggested the issue deserved further examination.

The comments come amid heightened political scrutiny of media coverage and entertainment programming. Earlier this week, Carr’s remarks about Kimmel underscored the FCC chair’s willingness to publicly question whether broadcast networks are applying rules consistently.

ABC has not commented on whether it believes “The View” qualifies for the exemption, though the network has long maintained that both its news and talk programming operate within the boundaries of FCC policy.

Carr’s suggestion that “The View” could be subject to review adds another layer of pressure on the network, which has faced criticism from Trump allies for commentary made on the program about the president and conservative figures.

The FCC has not yet opened a formal proceeding regarding “The View.” However, Carr’s remarks signal that the program, which combines political discussion with entertainment and interviews, may be examined more closely under the equal time framework as the 2026 midterm election cycle approaches.