FCC Investigates ABC’s “The View” Amid Controversy Over News Program Status

Disney and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are in disagreement about whether “The View” should be considered a legitimate news program. Meanwhile, ABC is celebrating a significant viewership increase from a recent episode featuring a prominent Republican figure.

ABC News reported that last week’s episode of “The View,” which included an appearance by Vice President JD Vance, drew 3.3 million viewers. This made it the show’s most-watched episode in over 18 months. The only other episode to surpass this viewership since January 2021 was during the post-Election Day coverage on November 6, 2024.

The announcement from ABC News came after the Disney-owned network initiated an advertising campaign to gather public support for “The View.” This campaign coincides with the FCC’s ongoing investigation into the show’s compliance with regulations concerning equal airtime for political candidates. The FCC’s probe was prompted by Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico’s appearance on “The View.”

Disney’s ABC asserts that “The View” is a legitimate news program, which should exempt it from the equal time rule. The new campaign features a petition advocating for “The View” to be recognized as a bona fide news program. A commercial released on Monday during the show invited viewers to voice their opinions to the FCC before July 6.

The FCC has accused Disney of misleading viewers through the campaign. Additionally, the Media Research Center (MRC) sent a letter to the FCC, challenging the claim that “The View” meets the standards of a bona fide news program. MRC President David Bozell argued that the show acts as a platform for political advocacy, primarily presenting one viewpoint while ignoring others.

In recent developments, the FCC announced its intention to enforce the statutory equal opportunities requirement on networks, according to the Communications Act of 1934. This includes programs that air on late-night and daytime talk shows. Although there’s an exception for bona fide news programs, the FCC stated that no current television talk show’s interview segment qualifies for this exemption.

ABC has criticized the FCC’s probe, suggesting that it threatens First Amendment rights. “The View” has been known for its critical stance towards former President Trump and his administration. A study from the Media Research Center’s NewsBusters revealed that the show hosted 341 guests in 2025, with only two identified as conservative against 128 liberal guests.

Whether Vice President Vance’s appearance will lead to more Republicans joining “The View” remains uncertain. Vance appeared alongside the show’s six co-hosts: Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and Ana Navarro.