Walt Disney Co. is pushing back against a Federal Communications Commission investigation into its talk show "The View," accusing the US media regulator of attempting to "sit in an editor’s chair." FCC Chair Brendan Carr has launched probes into whether the program violated rules requiring equal airtime for political candidates.

Disney argues that the FCC's probe oversteps its authority, questioning whether a federal regulator can override a broadcaster's editorial judgment on interview subjects. The media giant, which owns ABC and "The View," has mobilized public support, with over 76,000 responses submitted to the FCC website during a public comment period. This public engagement underscores Disney's strategy to counter the regulator's actions.

The dispute centers on whether "The View" qualifies as a news broadcast, which would exempt it from equal-time requirements. Disney asserts that the program's status hasn't changed since the FCC last addressed the issue decades ago, suggesting the current investigation is politically motivated amid President Donald Trump's escalated battles with the media. The outcome could set a precedent for government intervention in broadcast editorial decisions.