ABC’s lawyers say the FCC’s early review of the network’s station licenses is already affecting editorial decisions. At a Washington court hearing, Disney attorney Beth Wilkinson said ABC is “making different editorial decisions” as it tries to avoid further agency action ahead of the midterm elections, according to the Los Angeles Times. The FCC says the review began over a dispute about documents in an investigation into alleged discriminatory hiring practices at Disney. The judge requested more documentation and did not rule on ABC’s request for a restraining order.
That dispute matters beyond the courtroom because broadcast regulation can reach programming choices. The Times reports that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr criticized ABC for putting President Trump’s July 16 speech on its streaming news platform instead of airing it, and said the decision would be considered in license renewal. The network’s eight owned stations were originally scheduled for renewal between 2028 and 2031.
The View sits in an awkward spot in this fight. Carr has said the daytime show should not be exempt from the FCC’s equal time rule; ABC’s lawyer pointed to its practice of avoiding politician clips during the opening “Hot Topics” segment. That detail shows how regulation can shape a program’s form even before anyone is ordered to change a specific segment. A show built around political argument may find its choices narrowed by the risk attached to how it handles candidates.
ABC’s allegation of retaliation is still an allegation, and the FCC disputes the basis for the lawsuit. But Wilkinson’s account describes a chilling effect in unusually plain terms: a network weighing whether coverage might provoke agency action. For viewers, the danger is not only a visibly censored broadcast. It is the quiet calculation that decides which clips, guests or stories feel too costly to air. The court’s next test is whether the FCC can document a regulatory reason for this review that stands apart from anger at ABC’s programming.
