The clash between major broadcasters and federal regulators has widened in 2026 as the Federal Communications Commission under Chairman Brendan Carr revisits long-standing rules on political airtime and broadcast licensing. On Monday, June 22, ABC turned that fight into an on-air public campaign, asking viewers to weigh in on disputes involving “The View” and eight Disney-owned local stations.
ABC puts viewers into two active FCC proceedings
ABC said Monday that it had launched an on-air, online and social media campaign urging viewers to support “The View” and eight company-owned stations as the network faces two separate FCC matters. Reuters reported that the campaign began June 22, while Fox News described ads that ran during “The View” telling viewers the FCC wants to control who can appear on the show and that comments are due by July 6.
One ad directs viewers to support ABC’s petition asking the FCC to declare “The View” a bona fide news interview program. That distinction matters because bona fide news programs are generally exempt from the equal-opportunities requirement in federal law, which otherwise can require equivalent access for opposing political candidates. The FCC’s Media Bureau confirmed in a May public notice that Disney’s ABC and Houston station KTRK-TV filed that petition on May 7.
The agency opened a public comment proceeding on May 22. According to the FCC notice, initial comments were due June 22 and reply comments are due July 6. The FCC inquiry follows scrutiny of “The View” after Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico appeared on the program, with Carr later confirming that the agency was examining whether equal-time requirements applied.
The second part of ABC’s campaign concerns eight Disney-owned stations: KFSN in Fresno, KABC in Los Angeles, KGO in San Francisco, WLS in Chicago, WABC in New York, WTVD in North Carolina, WPVI in Philadelphia and KTRK in Houston. Fox News and Reuters both reported that ABC is asking viewers in those markets to support early license renewals after the FCC moved up review of the stations.
The local impact is clearest in those eight markets, where ABC ads reportedly tell viewers the FCC is questioning the stations’ commitment to the public and threatening to take them off the air. What is confirmed is that the FCC ordered an accelerated renewal process in April and required filings within 30 days. What is not yet known is how long the review will take or whether any station faces an actual loss of license.
The stations’ licenses were previously scheduled to come up for renewal between 2028 and 2031, according to multiple reports on the FCC action. AP reported in May that ABC stations called the early renewal demand unconstitutional, while Carr said broadcast licensees have a unique obligation to operate in the public interest. For viewers in those cities, the immediate effect is informational rather than operational: the stations remain on air while the proceedings continue.
The underlying causes differ, but both matters trace back to broader pressure from the Trump administration’s FCC. In the “The View” case, the dispute centers on Section 315 of the Communications Act and whether the program qualifies for the news exemption. The FCC has said broadcast outlets must comply with the statutory equal-opportunities rule, including in late-night and daytime talk programming, and an FCC spokesperson told Fox News that Disney was misleading viewers about the law.
The station-license fight stems from a separate FCC review tied to Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices and criticism surrounding ABC programming, including comments by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Trade publication TV Tech, citing the FCC order issued April 28, reported that the agency called the early review essential under the public-interest standard. ABC and allied press-freedom advocates have framed the move as retaliation for speech protected by the First Amendment.
For viewers and residents in the affected markets, the practical next dates are already set. The public reply deadline in the “The View” docket is July 6, and the licensing review for the eight stations is proceeding on the FCC’s accelerated timetable. ABC has said the campaign is meant to show the public what is at stake and how to participate directly, while the FCC has made clear that both proceedings remain under agency review.