ABC Resists FCC 'The View' Probe as Commissioner Warns Disney of 20-Year Press-Freedom Threat
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 11
ABC Resists FCC 'The View' Probe as Commissioner Warns Disney of 20-Year Press-Freedom Threat
7 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 11
ABC told the FCC that “The View” is covered by a bona fide news exemption granted more than 20 years ago, arguing there is no basis to reopen an equal-time review now.
That filing came after FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez warned Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro that Disney and ABC face a coordinated Trump administration campaign using FCC powers to pressure media outlets.
Gomez said the pressure escalated after Disney and ABC paid a $15 million settlement in late 2024, which she argued signaled that regulatory and legal pressure could force concessions.
She also pointed to the FCC’s early-renewal review of 8 Disney-owned ABC affiliates, plus scrutiny of Jimmy Kimmel comments and Disney’s DEI practices, as evidence of politicized enforcement.
The clash deepens a broader fight over whether FCC oversight is being used for routine regulation or to curb press freedom at a major U.S. media company.
Will this regulatory battle accelerate the shift by media giants away from traditional broadcasting to protect their independence?
How can the FCC's vague 'public interest' standard be redefined to prevent its use as a tool for political pressure?