FCC opening probe into ‘The View’ after appearance by Talarico

The Federal Communications Commission is opening an investigation into ABC’s “The View” after Texas state Rep. James Talarico appeared on the show Monday, Fox News said Friday.

The move comes after the agency said it would require broadcast networks to adhere to the “statutory equal opportunities requirement” in the Communications Act of 1934. While exceptions are made for “bona fide” news and interviews, the FCC said in the memo that these exemptions do not apply to late-night and daytime talk shows.

“The FCC has not been presented with any evidence that the interview portion of any late night or daytime television talk show program on air presently would qualify for the bona fide news exemption,” the memo reads.

Under the equal time regulations, all legally filed candidates, regardless of party, would be allowed the same amount of time on the same program. According to FOX News, Talarico had around nine minutes of airtime on the show, while hile top primary rival, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, had around 17 minutes of air time on the show last month.

Crockett’s appearance came before the FCC’s announcement.

Disqualifying the show as “bona fide” news would require ABC to give equal airtime to Republican candidates, as well as Democrat Ahmad Hassan who is also running in the primary.

What they’re saying:

“For years, legacy TV networks assumed that their late night & daytime talk shows qualify as “bona fide news” programs – even when motivated by purely partisan political purposes,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said on social media.

The other side:

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez pushed back against the probe, calling the move “government intimidation, not a legitimate investigation.”

“The real purpose is to weaponize the FCC’s regulatory authority to intimidate perceived critics of this Administration and chill protected speech,” Gomez said. “That is not how a free society operates.”

Gomez went on to urge the broadcast networks to “stand strong against these unfounded attacks.”

“The First Amendment protects the right of daytime and late-night programs to cover newsworthy issues and express viewpoints without government interference,” Gomez said.