‘The View’ is once again in the news, and not just for Whoopi Goldberg’s name being in the Epstein files. This time the FCC is initiating enforcement proceedings against the show over political equal time rules (which are not new and date back to 1927).
FCC Chair Brendan Carr going after them isn’t really surprising. “The View” seems to have political leanings, and guests do tend to align with those leanings. They don’t seem to try to hide this in any way either. But they have classified themselves as bona fide news, which would exclude them from FCC regulations.
What is “bona fide news”?
“Bona fide news” means that they select content based on news value and not for partisan purposes. It does include talk-shows, which “The View” is considered to be.
Apparently, Carr disagrees. Here is what Carr said on FOX News, “The Ingraham Angle.”
“Disney has a program called The View. And they’ve been asserting the position that The View is what is known as ‘bona fide news’ in the statute. If you are bona fide news, you don’t have to give candidates equal air time. But, Disney and The View have not established that that program is, in fact, bona fide news. We’ve started enforcement proceedings, taking a look at that. And, again, we’re going to hold broadcasters accountable.
“The days that these legacy media broadcasters get to decide what we can say, what we can think, who we can vote for are over. I think President Trump played a key role in just smashing the facade that they still get to decide the narrative here.”
Since Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” got exempted in the 90s, a lot of “talk shows” and “late-night” shows have also been exempted from the FCC regulations. It seems Carr wants to challenge that.
“The View” gets political a lot. If they are meant to talk about news and not be partisan, it’s hard to argue they are doing that when they are constantly diving into politics that does seem to favor a certain side.
Comments like this one from Joy Behar about a MAGA supporter doesn’t help their claims that they are “bona fide”.
“I wouldn’t even let him give me the Heimlich maneuve. That’s how little I feel about people. I don’t — no.
People who believe that stuff, they’re just disregarding everything that he has said and done — trashing servicemen, trashing John McCain, speaking ill of women, being held liable for sexual assault. It means you are in agreement with that. How can I be in a relationship with you? I cannot.”
All this being said, “The View” is for a certain audience, and it’s widely known. “The View” host asserted it was because right-leaning guests were afraid to come on the show, but some political figures challenged that. There doesn’t seem to be a shortage of possible guests.
It seems that the FCC under Carr is going to try and shake the status quo with “talk shows” that seemingly are very political and tend to focus on one side.
Now we wait and see what Disney and ABC are going to do about this?
What do you think? Comment and let us know!
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