More Than 100 Former ABC News Journalists Back Network in FCC Dispute Over 'The View'

More than 100 former ABC News journalists have signed an open letter supporting ABC News and parent company Disney as the network challenges a Federal Communications Commission investigation into daytime talk show The View, according to a Deadline report published May 13.

The Details

The open letter was organized by former ABC correspondent Lisa Stark and former ABC executive Ian Cameron, who had previously urged ABC and Disney to resist agency pressure on the program before gathering support from more than 100 former network journalists. Deadline reported that the signatories wrote that ABC is right to argue the FCC action targeting The View creates a "chilling effect" on First Amendment-protected speech and amounts to political retaliation rather than neutral enforcement.

In the letter, the former journalists stated, "Today, we write to commend Disney and ABC for the strong stand they are now taking in support of freedom of speech." They added that "ABC rightfully argues that the Trump administration is violating its free speech rights and creating a 'chilling effect' on First Amendment-protected speech through its regulatory action targeting The View." The letter further contended that dislike of viewpoints expressed on The View or similar shows cannot justify using regulatory processes to restrict those views.

The public backing follows a May 8 Deadline report that ABC filed a 52-page submission with the FCC arguing the agency's equal-time crackdown on The View violates the network's free speech rights. Deadline reported that in the filing, ABC argued that the Trump administration is using regulatory processes to restrict viewpoints it dislikes. The filing included language stating, "Some may dislike certain—or even most—of the viewpoints expressed on The View or similar shows. Such dislike, however, cannot justify using regulatory processes to restrict those views."

According to the May 8 report, the FCC investigation was triggered after The View featured Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. ABC's filing contends that similar scrutiny has not been applied to comparable political appearances on broadcast radio, suggesting uneven enforcement by the agency. The network's argument centers on the claim that the investigation is politically motivated rather than a standard application of equal-time requirements.

Context

The FCC equal-time rule requires broadcasters that give airtime to political candidates to provide comparable opportunities to rivals on request. Talk shows have historically relied on a news-programming exemption from these requirements, creating a long-standing framework in which daytime programs featuring political figures operated without triggering equal-time obligations. The current dispute raises questions about whether that exemption continues to protect programs like The View when they host candidates for office.

ABC's position, as described by Deadline, is that applying equal-time regulations to the talk show represents a departure from precedent that could restrict broadcasters' editorial discretion. The filing argues that the network's First Amendment rights are being chilled by regulatory action that appears targeted at one specific program. Stark and Cameron had previously urged ABC and Disney to resist agency pressure on the program before organizing the broader letter of support signed by more than 100 former network journalists. The coordinated response from former ABC News staff represents a rare public intervention by alumni defending their former employer against federal regulatory action.

What's Next

The FCC has not publicly responded to ABC's 52-page filing or the open letter from former journalists. The dispute centers on whether the equal-time rule applies to talk shows that feature political candidates, a question that could have broader implications for how broadcast networks handle political appearances on non-news programming.

If the FCC maintains its position, networks may face increased regulatory scrutiny over which political figures appear on daytime talk shows and what obligations those appearances create under equal-time regulations. The outcome could reshape how broadcasters approach candidate bookings across talk shows and other non-traditional news formats. The letter from more than 100 former ABC News journalists signals that the network's former employees view the regulatory inquiry as a threat to press freedom protections rather than a routine enforcement matter. The resolution of the dispute may establish whether the news-programming exemption continues to shield talk shows from equal-time claims when political candidates appear as guests.