Should ultra-progressive talk show “The View” be considered news?
That peculiar question is at the heart of a roiling feud between the show’s parent network and company (ABC and Disney respectively) and the Federal Communications Commission.
According toCBS News, the ABC and FCC are in a war of words over the actual classification status of “The View” and whether or not the show had broken any rules pertaining to the equal time rule.
That rule effectively requires broadcast stations that interview one political candidate to give equal airtime to all other candidates for the same office.
Given that such a rule could prove burdensome for news stations beholden to strict airtime constraints, Congress ultimately decided decades ago that certain “bona fide” news stations could apply for and receive exemptions from this equal-time rule.
“The Viewhas been broadcasting under a bona fide news exemption granted to it more than twenty years ago, consistent with longstanding Commission interpretations,” ABC wrote in itspetitionto the FCC.
The issue now, however, is that the FCC is effectively asking ABC and “The View” to prove that the divisive talk show is a “bona fide” news program to even qualify for such an exemption.
And asFox Newsreports, the bona fides are in serious doubt.
“Ron Burgundy has a stronger claim of being ‘bona fide news’ than Whoopi Goldberg,” one government insider told the outlet.
One of the major flashpoints in this drama appears to have been Texas Democrat and senatorial candidateJames Talarico‘s appearance on “The View” from early February.
Source: VidNews » Feed
