An FCC investigation into ABC’s “The View” has already altered the daytime talk show’s programming, causing it to stop featuring political candidates in competitive races — even before any formal demands or rulings from the agency.
Since FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the probe in February, examining whether the show violated the 1930s “equal time” rule, “The View” has not hosted a single candidate running in a competitive midterm race, according to a Semafor analysis.
A spokesperson for the show declined to comment on how it is responding to the inquiry but has previously maintained that “The View” is a “bona fide news program” and therefore exempt from the rule.
Still, the mere existence of the investigation has prompted the network to hedge its guest bookings, marking a clear shift from the show’s long-standing role as a key campaign platform.
Created by Barbara Walters in 1997, “The View” has historically been a must-stop destination for candidates at every level. It has hosted major figures including Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and Tim Walz, along with numerous prominent Democrats in recent years.
In contrast, since the FCC inquiry began, the show has continued to discuss politics and host elected officials such as Vice President JD Vance and Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., but neither is on the ballot in upcoming elections. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who faces reelection this fall but no primary challenger, appeared in March.
Meanwhile: "The View" Delivers Strongest Q2 in Six Years. ABC’s “The View” wrapped up the second quarter with its highest viewership in six years, TheWrap has learned. The daytime talk show averaged 2.6 million total viewers, according to Nielsen data — a 3% increase from its Q2 average a year ago.
It posted even stronger gains in key female demos:
- 221,000 women 25-54 (+11%)
- 168,000 women 18-49 (+14%)
“The View” finished the quarter as the top-rated daytime network talk show in several major categories, comfortably ahead of NBC’s competitors. It outdrew “Today Third Hour” (2.0 million viewers), “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle” (1.4 million), and “NBC News Daily” (1.3 million).