One of the longest-running jokes about the legacy media is that The View -- a program hosted by insufferable harpies who all suffer from terminal TDS -- operates under ABC's News Division.
If The View is a news program, then The Lord of the Rings was a historical documentary.
Apparently, Disney never got the joke, however. Earlier this month, the FCC opened an investigation into ABC News and The View for partisan decision-making in their programming. This afternoon, FCC chair Brendan Carr announced that the House of Mouse has filed a petition with the commission to classify the show as 'bona fide news' programming, similar to Meet The Press or Face The Nation (not that those shows qualify as news either in the Trump era).
Disney has a vested interest in submitting this petition, obviously. As Carr explains below, if The View qualifies as a news program, it can be exempt from equal time considerations. That means it can continue to pander to and fawn over Democrat politicians on every show, every day (which it already does).
It begs the question of how CBS got away with this for so long with Stephen Colbert's gratefully cancelled Late Show, which was feted and applauded by the Democrat Party today.
Thank you, Stephen Colbert. pic.twitter.com/8tVBbtfiRi
— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) May 22, 2026
Look! Hard news!
Though we suppose it's less ridiculous than Colbert's show pretending to be a comedy program.
The best part of Carr's announcement, however, was when he said that the FCC is now welcoming public comments on the topic of whether The View qualifies as 'bona fide news.'
Recommended
Disney has filed a petition with the FCC asking the agency to declare that The View is exempt from the statutory equal opportunities requirements that would otherwise apply to broadcast shows.
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) May 22, 2026
Disney argues that The View qualifies as “bona fide news” under the law, comparing… pic.twitter.com/xyxhvNk3rb
Here is the rest of the full post:
... itself to Meet The Press or Face The Nation.
Therefore, Disney argues, it can have one partisan candidate for office on The View while denying equal opportunities to all others.
The FCC is now seeking public comment on Disney’s request to be labeled as 'bona fide news.'
Is The View a 'bona fide news interview program'?
Under FCC case law, tv shows do not qualify as 'bona fide news' if their decisions are based on partisan purposes, such as an intention to advance or harm an individual’s candidacy.
As the Public Notice observes, Congress originally passed the equal opportunities law to prevent media gatekeepers from deciding the outcome of elections. The law, even when it applies, does not prohibit anyone from having any candidate appear on any show. Rather, Congress intended it to empower voters with more information and encourage more speech.
The FCC welcomes your views.
LOL.
Oh, this is gonna' be GOOD.
Carr was even kind enough to provide the link where the public can submit their comments.
If you don’t agree that The View is “bona fide news,” you can comment here [just enter 26-124 in the proceeding field]
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) May 22, 2026
If you agree with Disney that The View is “bona fide news,” you can also submit a comment there. https://t.co/9Zr2tAOth4
Not that we encourage Twitchy readers to make their thoughts known about Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, et al.
Ahem. We would NEVER do that.
Oh, by the way, here is the link once again. And don't forget that filing code: 26-124.
If anyone needs assistance with crafting a comment to the FCC, this writer's submission was as follows:
The View? A "Bona Fide News Program"?
BWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!
Feel free to copy and paste.
While we can't see submissions that the FCC has received, the reactions on X gave us a pretty good hint about how people felt.
The View is bona fide news like the Soviet Union’s Pravda is bona fide news. https://t.co/rvUmS3oFfv
— Jeff Clark (@JeffClarkUS) May 22, 2026
Pravda was far more honest.
No ... pic.twitter.com/NjDwliv8d3
— 🇺🇸🍊🧡southerngalpal 🧡🍊🇺🇸 (@belleofva) May 22, 2026
We're not sure if the FCC's submission site accepts animated images, but 'GIF' it a shot.
Hahaha. And I’m Heidi Klum.
— Jocelyn James (@jtjames55) May 22, 2026
Disney would have you believe that The View is a Bona Fide News Program.
— TrashDiscourse (@TrashDiscourse) May 22, 2026
Sorry just spit tea through my nose and my desk needs cleaned up 😆☠️ https://t.co/OeraGoXVxS
We get it. We had the same reaction.
NEWS?!?! pic.twitter.com/8V8nXHdJIA
— Rob Kosinski (@robkmusic) May 22, 2026
Yep. Just like that.
I doubt @MeghanMcCain will want for lawyers should she decide to file a comment. https://t.co/3fuMuDlDIS
— Mike Fragoso (@mike_frags) May 22, 2026
We're sure that Ms. McCain has PLENTY to say about the quality of The View's 'news' content, not to mention the bitter cruelty and vindictiveness of her former fellow hosts.
The View is bona fide news in the same way The WWE is bona fide wrestling
— SOMETHiNG WiCKED 🇺🇸 (@som3thingwicked) May 22, 2026
Or perhaps in the same way that Ellen Page is a 'bona fide' male.
Just the other day, Sunny Hostin said that there was $0 of property damage done during the 2020 BLM protests. I’m pretty sure that doesn’t qualify as a “bona fide news show”.
— Tail of the Curve (@tailofthecurve) May 22, 2026
Oh, we remember when she said that.
Brendan Carr asking for public input on this one. pic.twitter.com/eaXjG8YLBd
— Stephen Taylor (@stephen_taylor) May 22, 2026
It's a master stroke from Carr. Chef's kiss.
We hope, at some point, the public comments get read aloud in a courtroom or hearing room.
"The View" is the news as much as I am a supermodel. https://t.co/0drT5X0Pke
— Bonnie Blue and Zoe (@BonnieBlueTK) May 22, 2026
As much as Ella Emhoff is one anyway.
The View is bonafide "news" according to Disney, if that's true then I am the king of the world. https://t.co/c56PbQXVgQ
— Scott T Archer (@ScottTArcher) May 22, 2026
Leonardo DiCaprio? Is that you?
The View is “bonafide news” just like Epstein Island was a summer camp for introverts. https://t.co/gtRNq1dtYL
— The Mart (@The_Mart_In_MS) May 22, 2026
OOF!
This isn't going to go well for Disney or ABC News.
This is a joke right? 😆😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/Ge8gqyUJhY
— 🇺🇸I STAND WITH GOD ✝️🙏🏻 (@bch31276) May 22, 2026
Well, no ... and yes.
The view … news??? pic.twitter.com/C8uVryHwLk
— FAFFRN (@FaFfRn) May 22, 2026
Even the GOAT can't keep a straight face.
And Michael Jordan should know. He was always fair and balanced when it came to selling his sneakers.
These cats could deliver better news than the View. pic.twitter.com/IS2mL3rzUz
— LuckyPirateKittens (@LPKittens) May 22, 2026
We believe it.
And it's not really even a stretch to say it.
If The View is “bona fide news” I’m a straight black woman. https://t.co/nUH8JC5VNT
— Robert (@TheCheekyTaurus) May 22, 2026
Now that's just racist. LOL.
Please for the love of everything holy... fill out the form! https://t.co/JkDWC1zTlB
— Joe and Teri Mitchell 🇺🇸🦅 (@TeriJo_2000) May 22, 2026
It is everyone's civic duty!
Of course, we already know the results of Carr opening Disney's petition up to public comment.
But we will promise our readers this: If those comments are eventually published somewhere, we pledge to report on them.
Make sure to have plenty of popcorn on hand to read them.
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