ABC is accusing the Federal Communications Commission of violating its First Amendment rights due to the agency's scrutiny of its talk show "The View," according to a petition filed with the agency on May 7.

According to the broadcaster's petition, the FCC has demanded that ABC prove that "The View" qualifies as a news program, or risk being forced to give equal airtime to every political candidate who asks for it.

ABC argues that such a requirement would "chill critical protected speech."

—This is breaking news and will be updated.