The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investigating whether ABC’s "The View" violated regulations requiring broadcasters to provide equal airtime to political candidates appearing on their programs.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr told reporters after an agency meeting on Wednesday that when asked if the FCC is investigating the daily series for potential violations of the "equal time" rule, he replied, "We have an enforcement action underway and are reviewing it."

James Talarico, a candidate for the Texas State Senate, appeared on "The View" on February 2. Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), who is competing in the same race, has also appeared on the program.

The Trump administration has taken steps to strengthen regulations on talk shows, suggesting that previous approaches may have been "motivated by partisan objectives."

Earlier this week, late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert stated that CBS executives canceled Talarico’s scheduled appearance on his show due to concerns over potential violations of the equal time rule.

In January, the FCC issued new guidance reminding hosts of late-night and daytime programs of their obligation to provide equal airtime to political candidates.

This rule includes exemptions for news broadcasts, "bona fide" news interviews, live events, or documentary reporting. Carr has questioned the talk show exemption and whether it should be maintained.

According to an FCC notice issued last month, "No evidence has been submitted to the FCC that the interview segments of late-night or daytime TV talk shows currently on air qualify for the bona fide news exemption."

Chairman Carr, an appointee of President Trump, had previously suggested last year that it would be "worthwhile" to investigate "The View," noting that its hosts frequently criticize the Republican president.

On Wednesday, Carr remarked that watching the fallout after Colbert described the Talarico incident was "perhaps one of the most amusing days of my professional life," adding that the candidate had "clearly exploited" media attention "to raise funds and generate clicks."

The equal time rule applies only to broadcast television and does not extend to streaming or internet programming. Colbert subsequently posted the Talarico interview on YouTube, where it garnered over 7.5 million views—several times the nightly viewership of the comedian's CBS program.

Talarico reported raising $2.5 million in campaign contributions in the 24 hours following the Colbert interview.

CBS stated that it provided Colbert with "legal advice" indicating that broadcasting the Talarico interview could trigger the equal time rule.

On his show Tuesday night, Colbert mentioned that Chairman Carr had discussed repealing the exemption for late-night talk shows in January, but joked that "CBS, in its generosity, did it for him."

NNP USA = Representative Reporter Sung Ku Hong / Special Correspondent for NNP info@newsandpost.com