Disney has reportedly asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to make “The View” exempt from the “Equal Time” requirement that applies to broadcast programs.
The “Equal Time” (Equal Opportunities) Rule comes from Section 315 of the Communications Act. It applies only to broadcast stations like traditional over-the-air TV and radio.
If a broadcast station lets one legally qualified candidate “use” its airtime during an interview or appearance, it generally must offer comparable opportunities to opposing candidates.
This same rule doesn’t apply to “bona fide” news programs as per exemptions that were codified into law by Congress in 1959.
In a recent filing to the FCC, Disney argued that “The View” is a “bona fide” news show and should therefore be exempt.
Disney has filed a petition with the FCC asking the agency to declare that The View is exempt from the statutory equal opportunities requirements that would otherwise apply to broadcast shows.
Disney argues that The View qualifies as “bona fide news” under the law, comparing… pic.twitter.com/xyxhvNk3rb
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) May 22, 2026
“Disney has filed a petition with the FCC asking the agency to declare that The View is exempt from the statutory equal opportunities requirements that would otherwise apply to broadcast shows,” FCC chairman Brendan Carr revealed in a tweet Friday.
He added that the agency will seek public comment on Disney’s request and further suggested in his post that he doesn’t think “The View” deserves an exemption.
“As the Public Notice observes, Congress originally passed the equal opportunities law to prevent media gatekeepers from deciding the outcome of elections,” he wrote.
“The law, even when it applies, does not prohibit anyone from having any candidate appear on any show. Rather, Congress intended it to empower voters with more information and encourage more speech,” Carr continued.
Many critics on social media responded to Disney’s filing by practically bursting out in laughter at the thought that the extremely partisan, leftist hosts of “The View” are in any way comparable to journalists:
The View is not the news they just spread lies that they see on the internet nothing about them is the NEWS besides them being on air before the time the actual NEWS broadcast.
— Picture THAT. (@Drickivengeanc3) May 22, 2026
Not when they talk politics everyday and only have on people they agree with lol of all the shows, they easily take the cake for having the dumbest and most outlandishly false takes on politics.
— Jerry Maguire (@Celtakes) May 22, 2026
It’s funny how openly transparent the networks are that they cannot carry water for the DNC if they allow Conservatives on the show to defend their policies and speak to their audience themselves instead of subbing in the hosts to represent conservatives via straw man arguments
— davepalant4rd (@Dave_Sheraton) May 22, 2026
The View is an interview and opinion show.
They constantly lie. They are not a news show.
Not even remotely a news show.
It’s propaganda.
@FCC do the right thing here and don’t let @disney get off with spreading lies.— Starship Alves
(@StarshipAlves) May 22, 2026
The name “The View” implies it is an opinion show. Not to mention it identifies as a “Talk Show” and even Wokepedia has said as much. They are just looking for ways to work around defamation laws because the cast is so unhinged. pic.twitter.com/YdtOwQh7H2
— WebLuke (@webluke) May 22, 2026
One critic added that in her opinion, “The View” is no different than the National Enquirer, in that its content is “fabricated,” “partisan,” “distorted,” and “sensationalized.”
Last year, “The View” had on 128 liberal guests, including 25 leftist politicians, but only two supposed conservatives: Cheryl Hines, who used to be an anti-Trump Democrat, and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who’s since practically become a Democrat herself.
“‘The View’ should be renamed ‘The Cackle’ and eliminated from the ABC News Division and placed in the comedy lineup with a warning label, ‘This show is for non-entertainment purposes only,’” Media Research Center president David Bozell previously said about the show.
“We welcome an FCC investigation into whether ‘The View’ still qualifies as a bona fide news program. We don’t think it does,” he added.
