ABC accuses FCC of violating its free speech

ABC is accusing President Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of violating its First Amendment rights as FCC Chair Brendan Carr ramps up scrutiny of the Disney-owned outlet over the content it broadcasts.

In a Friday filing with the FCC, which was first reported by The New York Times, ABC centers its criticism on a regulatory complaint about the network’s popular daytime table talk program, “The View.”

Carr has questioned whether shows such as “The View” are “bona fide news programs,” which are granted certain First Amendment protections by Congress.

ABC said in its filing that Carr’s scrutiny of its programming is “unprecedented, beyond the Commission’s authority, and counterproductive to the Commission’s stated goal ofencouraging free speech and open political discussion.”

The FCC has separately been investigating........

© The Hill