FCC says “The View,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” may not be exempt from “equal time” rules for politicians

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The Federal Communications Commission is focusing on talk shows on major networks, like ABC’s “The View,” that frequently host politicians.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on Wednesday that television stations will be required to give equal airtime to opposing political candidates if a politician appears on a program that isn’t considered a genuine news event.

Talk show hosts on programs like “The View,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” have long been able to interview politicians without needing to also give their opponents a chance to respond on air. This is because of a broadcast rule, known as the “equal time” rule, that requires stations to present opposing viewpoints, but it hasn’t been consistently applied to these kinds of casual interviews.

The FCC’s recent statements suggest it’s reconsidering whether talk shows, both during the day and at night, should be exempt from rules requiring equal airtime for different political viewpoints. Essentially, the agency seems skeptical about continuing this exemption for shows broadcast on public airwaves.

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Senator Ted Cruz criticized his fellow members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, stating that the First Amendment doesn’t give one side the right to unfairly dominate or misuse its power.

There’s a difference between a “bona fide” news interview and partisan politics, the FCC said.

According to a four-page statement from the Media Bureau, a program driven by political bias wouldn’t qualify for an exemption, based on established FCC rulings.

The bureau suggested that broadcasters consult the FCC to ensure their programs follow the rules. This advice may worry some stations and could lead them to carefully review shows that cover political topics.

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It was great to see Jimmy Kimmel back on his show last night! He finally spoke about the misunderstanding surrounding his comments about Charlie Kirk, and I was really touched by how he took the time to thank everyone who had reached out with support over the last week. It felt really genuine and was good to see him addressing everything directly.

Over the past year, since President Trump’s return to the White House, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has become more involved in monitoring what’s shown on television – a change from how it usually operates. This increased attention follows a proposal from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who was appointed by Trump, that TV stations stop airing Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show due to controversial comments the comedian made after the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Trump has consistently shown his disapproval of several late-night and daytime talk show hosts, including Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and the hosts of ‘The View’.

Daniel Suhr, head of the conservative Center for American Rights, stated that this move warns Hollywood and network leaders they can’t continue giving Democrats free publicity while excluding Republicans. His organization has filed multiple complaints with the Federal Communications Commission regarding perceived bias in media coverage.

Recently, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former supporter of Donald Trump and ex-U.S. Representative, appeared on “The View” to discuss her now critical stance towards the president.

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I was really interested to see that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is taking a closer look at Disney and ABC’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. It seems this is the second time he’s investigated a big media company on this topic, which I think is significant.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set a precedent in 2006 by ruling that Jay Leno’s interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger – where Schwarzenegger announced his run for California governor – qualified as a genuine news event. This meant the interview wasn’t subject to a specific FCC regulation.

The FCC’s rules only cover shows on traditional broadcast TV, not cable news programs. The FCC can enforce its rules on broadcast TV, but not on cable.

Carr previously launched investigations into both Walt Disney Co., the parent company of ABC, and Comcast Corp., which owns NBCUniversal.

This is a developing story.

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2026-01-21 23:01