FCC chair says investigating The View 'worthwhile' after Kimmel suspension

WASHINGTON — FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Thursday that it would be worthwhile to investigate whether ABC’s daytime talk show The View is violating broadcast rules in the wake of Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension. He made the remark during an appearance on The Scott Jennings Show, arguing that the program could potentially be subject to the commission’s equal-time requirements, which require broadcasters to provide equal opportunity to political candidates unless a program qualifies as a bona fide news show.

Carr said the FCC could examine whether The View and other programs still qualify as bona fide news shows and therefore are exempt from the equal-time regime Congress put in place. “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,” Carr said. “And I think it’s worthwhile to have the FCC look into whether ‘The View’ and some of these other programs that you have still qualify as bona fide news programs and therefore exempt from the equal opportunity regime that Congress has put in place.”

The View has long been a flashpoint in debates over bias on broadcast television. Media Research Center data showing a stark tilt in political guest selection drew renewed criticism from Republicans and some media critics. The group said January through April 2025 saw no right-leaning political guests booked, while 63 liberal guests appeared, including nine Democratic politicians. The dynamic has fed concerns among critics that liberal-leaning outlets receive more favorable treatment on air.

The program has also faced public pressure from political figures. A White House spokesperson warned in July that the show could be pulled off the air if attacks against figures such as President Donald Trump continued. An entertainment lawyer familiar with ABC’s slate of programs told Fox News Digital that The View could be the next show to come under scrutiny as conversations about balance and compliance intensify. “I think ‘The View’ is next,” the lawyer said, describing the show’s liberal brand as increasingly scrutinized.

The controversy surrounding The View comes as ABC’s The View itself opted to skip coverage of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday’s broadcast, a development noted by observers of late-night and daytime television. Carr’s suggestion for a formal review followed the suspension of Kimmel’s show after remarks about the alleged Charlie Kirk assassin, a decision announced by ABC/Disney the day before.

Carr’s comments reflected a broader push to reinvigorate the FCC’s public-interest obligations for broadcasters. He has emphasized that broadcasters operate under licenses granted by the agency and carry duties to serve the public, hinting at potential enforcement if conduct is deemed incompatible with those obligations. “Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or, you know, there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead,” Carr said.

The debate over The View’s status and its treatment under the FCC’s rules illustrates the ongoing frictions in U.S. politics over how broadcast platforms handle political content and the duties that come with broadcast licenses. While Carr has signaled openness to pursuing a formal review, critics caution against broad interpretations that could chill legitimate commentary. The FCC has not announced a formal investigation into The View as of now, but the chair’s remarks indicate a willingness to explore how the channel’s programming aligns with the agency’s public-interest obligations and existing equal-time provisions.