Story perspectives

ABC Challenges FCC ‘The View’ Exemption, Cites Free Speech

5/9/2026

Summary

**ABC Challenges FCC**

ABC petitioned the FCC, accusing President Donald Trump administration of First Amendment violations in “The View,” which has held an exemption since 2002.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr questioned exemption after Texas candidate James Talarico appeared, and reviewing eight ABC station licenses in Los Angeles and New York.
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez praised ABC’s stance and urged a ruling after solicitor general Paul D. Clement warned could overturn law.

Summary

**ABC Under Fire**

The White House urged ABC to fire Jimmy Kimmel after his Melania Trump joke.
CBS’s Stephen Colbert refused a James Talarico interview, citing FCC equal-time guidance.
James Talarico, who appeared on The View, later won the Texas Senate primary, raising election stakes.
ABC said conservative radio shows were not targeted, alleging viewpoint discrimination, while Disney’s new CEO Josh D’Amaro now leads the FCC fight.

History

Historical Context

After the Reagan administration’s 1987 repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, the FCC shifted toward market-driven regulation, reducing requirements for balanced political coverage. The equal-time rule, established in the 1934 Communications Act, has since been narrowed, with 2026 guidance ending automatic exemptions for talk-show interviews. ABC’s current challenge to the FCC’s exemption for *The View* revives the long-standing debate over broadcast neutrality.

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**ABC Challenges FCC**

ABC petitioned the FCC, accusing President Donald Trump administration of First Amendment violations in “The View,” which has held an exemption since 2002.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr questioned exemption after Texas candidate James Talarico appeared, and reviewing eight ABC station licenses in Los Angeles and New York.
FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez praised ABC’s stance and urged a ruling after solicitor general Paul D. Clement warned could overturn law.

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