ABC is firing back at Donald Trump. The network has filed a petition with the FCC after the Commission announced they were investigating The View. The show is facing allegations of violating the FCC’s equal time rule. That requires shows like theirs to provide the same amount of airtime to all qualified political candidates.
The Disney-owned company believes the Commission investigation threatens to “upend decades of settled law and practice and chill critical protected speech.” ABC says that The View operates under a news exemption given to it over two decades ago.
President Trump’s FCC probe is a controversial move
Despite the investigation, ABC is fighting back. In their petition, the network states that The View has been consistent with the Commission’s standards for years. They say those standards are designed to “minimize the serious First Amendment problems inherent in the equal time regime.” According to them, the flow of ideas “flourishes” on these non-broadcast platforms even though the equal opportunities rules don’t apply.
It seems the FCC has had its eye on The View for some time. In February, they announced that they were investigating an episode of the show featuring James Talarico. He’s a Democratic Senator for Texas. One of ABC’s competitors, CBS, blocked an interview with James from airing on TV when he was a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Stephen blasted the Trump administration and his network for making that call. James’ appearance was later posted online.
Throughout his second term in the White House, the ladies of The View have called out Trump repeatedly. Everything from his actions in Iran to his controversial online bashing of Rob Reiner and more has been scrutinized. Trump has gone after ABC before, recently calling for Jimmy Kimmel’s firing. The comedian mocked President Trump’s wife ahead of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, calling her an “expectant widow.”
TELL US – DO YOU THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP INFLUENCED THE FCC INTO INVESTIGATING THE VIEW?
