FCC Investigating ABC's 'The View' Over Possible Equal Time Violation

The federal agency is looking into whether the daytime talk show failed to provide equal airtime to political candidates.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investigating whether ABC's daytime talk show 'The View' violated federal 'equal time' requirements for political candidates, according to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. Carr said the FCC has an 'enforcement action underway' on the matter but did not provide further details. The equal time rule generally requires broadcast stations to provide comparable airtime to legally qualified political candidates, with some exemptions for bona fide news programming.

Why it matters

The investigation into 'The View' highlights the ongoing debate over how the equal time rule applies to political coverage on news and talk shows. The FCC has previously signaled interest in reviewing whether programs like 'The View' qualify as bona fide news, which would exempt them from equal time requirements. This case could set precedent on the boundaries of the equal time rule in the modern media landscape.

The details

In September 2024, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said it would be 'worthwhile' for the agency to examine whether 'The View' qualifies as a bona fide news program exempt from equal time rules. The FCC's latest comments came as the agency also addressed questions about an interview involving 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert', where CBS said it provided legal guidance that the interview 'could trigger the FCC equal time rule'.

  • On October 8, 2024, Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris appeared on 'The View'.
  • On February 19, 2026, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the agency has an 'enforcement action underway' regarding 'The View' and the equal time rule.

The players

Brendan Carr

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Kamala Harris

The Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee who appeared on 'The View' in October 2024.

ABC

The network that airs the daytime talk show 'The View'.

The View

A popular daytime talk show that is the subject of the FCC investigation.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

A late-night talk show that was also involved in a separate issue related to the FCC's equal time rule.

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What they’re saying

“The FCC has an enforcement action underway on that. And we're taking a look at it.”

— Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman (The Epoch Times)

“Potentially, I would assume you can make the argument that 'The View' is a bona fide news show, but I'm not so sure about that. And I think it's worthwhile to have the FCC look into whether 'The View' and some of these other programs ... still qualify as bona fide news programs and therefore exempt from the equal opportunity regime that Congress has put in place.”

— Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman (The Epoch Times)

“There was no censorship here at all. Every single broadcaster in this country has an obligation to be responsible for the programming that they choose to air, and they're responsible whether it complies with FCC rules or not ... and those individual broadcasters are also going to have a potential liability.”

— Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman (The Epoch Times)

What’s next

The FCC will continue its investigation into whether 'The View' violated the equal time rule, and may make a determination on the show's status as a bona fide news program exempt from the rule.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate over how the FCC's equal time rule applies to political coverage on news and talk shows in the modern media landscape. The outcome could set an important precedent on the boundaries of the rule and its enforcement.