The View has become the latest target of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
While the FCC and its chairman, Brendan Carr, are meant to be an independent, non-partisan regulator, it has in recent months made no secret of its alienation with right-wing causes, exemplified by the temporary yanking of Jimmy Kimmel's show off the air in September over his comments about the late Charlie Kirk.
It was most recently called out by Stephen Colbert, who also called out his own network (until May) CBS, for allegedly blocking him from airing an interview with Texas state Rep. James Talarico, who is currently running for the Senate, citing the so-called equal time provision requiring broadcasters to give political candidates equal coverage if their opponents appear on air.
© Getty ImagesNow, the FCC has launched an investigation into The View, which airs on ABC, and also featured the Senate candidate, again suggesting the broadcast may have violated the Equal Time Rule.
Carr, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, said that the agency "has an enforcement action underway" on The View, which is hosted by Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, Ana Navarro and Alyssa Farrah Griffin. "We're taking a look at it," he added, though declined to add any further details.
Talarico appeared on The View on February 2, during which he discussed his "unique" Texas primary run.
© Getty ImagesThough the FCC is citing the Equal Time Rule, The View has had Talarico's opponent, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, on the show as well, as recently as one month ago, during which she also opened up about her primary run against the fellow Texas democrat.
The View has had a consistent history of hosting politicians across the political spectrum, whether actively campaigning or not, on their show ever since it was founded by late veteran journalist Barbara Walters in 1997.
Regarding Colbert and the FCCs and CBS' tiff with the late night host, he called their denial of his claims that they banned hom from airing the Talarico interview as "crap," urging them and parent company Skydance Paramount, which is owned by Donald Trump ally David Ellison, to stand up to the "bullies" in the Trump administration.
© Getty Images"I'm not a lawyer and I don't want to tell them how to do their jobs. But since they seem intent on telling me how to do mine, here we go," he responded during his February 17 show. "Fellas, I am well aware that we can book other guests. I didn't need to be presented with that option."
© Getty Images"I've had Jasmine Crockett on my show twice. I could prove that to you, but the network won't let me show you her picture without including her opponents. So I'll have to show you this picture of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein instead," he added.
He further noted: "They told us the language they wanted me to use to describe that equal-time exception. And I used that language. So I don't know what this is about. For the record, I'm not even mad. I really don't want an adversarial relationship with the network. I never had one." Colbert's show is ending in May after 11 years on the air.
