ABC launched a campaign on June 22 urging viewers to submit comments to the Federal Communications Commission opposing investigations and early license renewal reviews targeting its daytime talk show The View and eight local ABC stations in large U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The FCC is investigating The View for potential violations of the equal-time rule, which mandates equal opportunities for political candidates on broadcast programs, while also initiating early license renewal reviews for ABC’s eight local stations [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. These early reviews move up the scheduled license renewals and are seen as a sign of regulatory pressure from the FCC.
ABC’s campaign highlights that The View has operated as a bona fide news interview show for nearly 30 years and accuses the FCC of trying to control guest appearances. An ABC commercial states, "The View has welcomed your favorite guests and covered the issues you care about for nearly 30 years. Now, the FCC wants to control who is allowed on the show. Viewers, use your voice. Tell the FCC to let the viewers decide" [1].
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, appointed during the Trump administration, has adopted a tougher regulatory stance. He warned, "If Disney is engaged in illegal discrimination or fails to serve the public interest, it must be held accountable, including potential license revocation" [5]. The FCC argues the actions are lawful measures to prevent illegal discrimination and ensure broadcasters serve the public interest [2, 3, 5].
ABC disputes this rationale, calling the FCC’s actions illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional, and politically motivated efforts to suppress dissenting voices critical of former President Trump and his administration [2, 3, 5]. Chinese-language ABC reports quote the company saying the early license reviews violate First Amendment protections and are "illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional," severely infringing on free speech rights [2]. The FCC’s Chinese reports counter that early reviews are not targeting any single program but hold broadcasters accountable if they engage in illegal discrimination or fail public interest obligations, with license revocation possible [2].
The FCC first issued guidance tightening application of the equal-time rule to talk shows like The View in January 2026 and initiated the early license and equal-time investigations in April [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The campaign uses television commercials and advertisements in major markets. The public comment period at the FCC ends on July 6, giving viewers an opportunity to weigh in on The View’s status and the local station license renewals [1, 4].
