US agency investigating if ABC's 'The View' violated equal time rules for political candidates [View all]

Source: msn/Reuters

12h


WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - The Federal Communications Commission is opening an investigation into whether ABC's "The View" daytime talk show violated equal time rules for interviews with political candidates after an appearance by a Democratic Texas Senate candidate this week, a source told Reuters on Saturday.

The Republican-led FCC said last month that daytime and late-night TV talk shows are no longer considered "bona fide" news programs that are exempt from equal time rules that require them to give airtime to the views of opposing candidates. In September, FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the agency should consider reviewing whether "The View" runs afoul of equal time rules.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed Carr to take action against U.S. broadcasters and criticized networks for what he views as one-sided coverage. The move is the first significant step by the FCC to go after networks for interviews with political candidates.

TALK SHOWS WERE PREVIOUSLY EXEMPT

Until January, talk shows have qualified for the equal opportunities exemption as genuine news interviews, ever since the FCC Media Bureau granted an exemption to the interview portion of Jay Leno’s "The Tonight Show" in 2006. Networks have relied on the ruling as a precedent for recent interviews with political candidates.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-agency-investigating-if-abcs-the-view-violated-equal-time-rules-for-political-candidates/ar-AA1VTizr