ABC Faces FCC Firestorm Over Sunny Hostin’s Call to ‘Flip Senate’ [WATCH]

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr publicly criticized comments made by “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin on Thursday, while ABC continues to argue before the FCC that its daytime program qualifies as a “bona fide news program” under federal broadcast regulations, as reported by Breitbart.

Carr’s remarks came during an ongoing dispute between the Disney-owned television network and the FCC over the network’s broadcast licenses and a federal investigation involving allegations of unlawful discrimination.

In a post on social media, Carr referenced ABC’s position regarding “The View” and its status under the FCC’s political broadcasting rules.

“ABC is arguing to the FCC that The View is a ‘bona fide news program’—just like Meet the Press—and thus exempt from the political equal opportunity rules,” Carr wrote.

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Carr also shared a video clip of Hostin discussing national politics during a recent broadcast.

In the clip, Hostin said, “We’re in an existential crisis. We need to flip the Senate.”

Carr’s post drew attention to what he argued was a contrast between ABC’s legal position before the FCC and statements made by one of the program’s hosts advocating for a political outcome.

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The exchange comes as ABC continues challenging actions taken by the FCC involving the network’s broadcast licenses.

According to reports, Disney-owned ABC recently launched an advertising campaign encouraging viewers to contact the FCC regarding renewal of the network’s broadcast licenses.

The campaign followed the agency’s decision to begin investigating the network over allegations of unlawful discrimination.

ABC has argued that the FCC’s actions regarding its licenses are unconstitutional.

At the same time, the FCC has moved forward with the license renewal review process by opening a public period during which outside organizations and individuals may submit petitions supporting or opposing renewal of the network’s broadcast licenses.

Several watchdog organizations and activists have filed petitions urging the FCC not to renew ABC’s licenses.

According to those filings, the petitions allege sexual discrimination, political violence, violations of equal time rules, and improper influence involving Chinese operatives. Those allegations remain part of the administrative review process.

The FCC has not announced a final determination regarding ABC’s license renewals or the discrimination investigation.

The dispute has also renewed attention on the political equal opportunity provisions contained in federal communications law.

Those rules generally require broadcasters to provide equal opportunities to legally qualified political candidates when certain conditions are met, while exempting specified categories of programming, including qualifying news programs.

ABC has maintained that “The View” falls within that news programming exemption, a position referenced by Carr in his public comments.

Neither Carr’s social media post nor the video clip included any indication that the FCC had reached a conclusion regarding ABC’s legal arguments.

The license review and related proceedings remain pending before the commission, and no final decision has been announced regarding ABC’s broadcast licenses or the allegations raised during the process.

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