The View has been making headlines as of late, and not because of any additional host hiatuses after Alyssa Farah Griffin’s absence. Recently, there’s been a debate as to whether the long-running ABC talk show can be classified as a “bona fide news interview program.” This comes as the Federal Communications Commission – amid the Trump Administration – pushes hard on the long-held equal-time rule for TV programs. So let’s talk out exactly why the alphabet network wants the aforementioned classification for The View.
What Would A “Bona Fide News Interview Program” Exemption Do For The View?
A “bona fide news interview program” is defined by the FCC as an independent and legitimate news broadcast. With that distinction, said program becomes exempt from the equal-time rule, which stipulates that a TV or radio broadcaster must provide the same amount of time to opposing political candidates. On that note, Disney recently filed with the FCC, and it’s arguing The View – which features liberal and conservative guests – qualifies as a “bona fide” TV news offering, per The Hill.
Disney – along with ABC’s Houston affiliate, KTRK-TV – reportedly holds the position that its daytime talk show is comparable to a program like CBS’ Face the Nation or NBC’s Meet the Press. What should also be mentioned is that following the media company’s filing, the public is now in a position to weigh in on whether View qualifies for the “bona fide news” categorization. That public notice was officially put out by the FCC on May 22.
This all came weeks after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr ordered the House of Mouse to proceed with the process of applying for broadcast licences for all eight of the TV stations the company owns. Notably, said renewals previously weren’t required until as early as 2028, with some not even needing to be completed until 2031. As it stands, the new deadline for the renewals is May 28. Meanwhile, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez advised Disney to “stand firm” amid the “egregious” action from Carr and co.
Carr’s renewal order also came on the heels of a situation involving Jimmy Kimmel Live!, with the titular host going viral for saying First Lady Melania Trump looked like an “expectant widow.” Those comments came just shortly before the reported shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. As for The View, Carr recently took to social media and directly questioned whether the show was a “bona fide news interview program.” As previously alluded to, there have been other instances in which the FCC and the administration have been stringent on broadcast compliance as of late.
What Other Ways Has The FCC Been Active In Regard To TV Shows Lately?
The equal-time rule is something that’s been particularly emphasized by the current administration under President Trump. Just recently, that came into play with the since-ended Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Back in February, Colbert – against CBS’ wishes – revealed on air that he had been barred from featuring an interview with Texas state representative James Talarico, stemming from the equal-time rule. The host vehemently discussed his displeasure and even directly called out Carr.
While this other situation doesn’t involve equal-time, it’s worth mentioning the FCC also had significant dealings with ABC in 2025 amid Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s suspension. Kimmel was suspended after the host made a comment relating to the death of political activist Charlie Kirk. While some complained to the FCC about Kimmel’s initial sentiments, even more viewers reportedly complained to the organization about the host’s suspension.
The more recent situation involving The View is, of course, different from the FCC’s reported conflicted with Disney over Kimmel. Should the daytime show be classified as a “bona fide news interview program,” it would mean a great deal in regard to how it handles its more political-centric guests. That would be particularly significant due to potential media opportunities ahead of the midterm elections near the end of the year.
Viewers can see The View on weekdays at 11 p.m. ET on ABC as part of the 2026 TV schedule.
