ABC accuses FCC of threatening free speech over The View probe
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 8
ABC accuses FCC of threatening free speech over The View probe
17 articles · Updated · CNN · May 8
In a legal letter signed by Supreme Court litigator Paul Clement, ABC said the inquiry and early renewal challenge to eight station licences could chill political coverage before the 2026 midterms.
The dispute centres on The View's long-held exemption from equal-time rules; the FCC questioned a Houston station over Texas Senate candidate James Talarico's appearance and has also pressed Disney in a DEI investigation.
ABC says the licence move came after it refused pressure to drop Jimmy Kimmel, while Democratic commissioner Anna Gomez backed Disney's challenge. The renewal fight could last months or years and invite outside objections.
Are broadcast-era media rules pushing political speech onto unregulated online platforms?
In an era of opinion-based shows, who decides what qualifies as 'bona fide news'?