“Elon Musk fires entire cast of 'The View' after acquiring ABC.”
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No, Elon Musk hasn't acquired ABC and fired the cast of ‘The View’
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We searched Google and reviewed "The View" hosts’ social media posts for evidence that the hosts had recently been fired from the show and came up empty. We contacted spokespeople for "The View" and The Walt Disney Co. and received no response. (The Walt Disney Co. owns ABC.)
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We also found no reputable news organizations reporting that entrepreneur Elon Musk had acquired ABC.
Among Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, the social media platform X, and his other ventures, entrepreneur Elon Musk’s companies span various industries.
A May 19 Facebook post claims Musk had expanded his portfolio to include a company that produces television programs.
"Elon Musk Fires Entire Cast of ‘The View’ After Acquiring ABC," it read.
In a comment underneath the post, the Facebook user had shared a link to a May 19 blog post titled, "Elon Musk Shakes Up Television with Daring Acquisition and Dismissal."
This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
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(Screenshot from Facebook.)
"The View" is an ABC daytime talk show hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Alyssa Farah Griffin and Ana Navarro.
We searched Google and reviewed the hosts’ recent posts on social media and found no evidence they’d recently been fired from "The View." The Walt Disney Co. owns ABC, the company behind "The View," according to its website.
On May 14, the talk show hosts attended Disney Upfront, an annual event where the company shares its future program plans with advertisers.
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PolitiFact found no reputable news reports supporting claims that Musk acquired ABC.
If Musk had purchased ABC, it would have made headlines. In 1995, Disney’s multibillion dollar deal to purchase then-Capital Cities/ABC drew attention from both news organizations and the U.S. Justice Department.
We contacted a spokesperson for "The View" and The Walt Disney Co. and received no response.
Absent evidence that Musk bought ABC and fired the hosts of "The View," we rate this claim False.
Our Sources
Forumtu.com, Elon Musk Shakes Up Television with Daring Acquisition and Dismissal, May 19, 2024
Deadline, Joy Behar Makes ‘The View’ Co-Hosts Emotional As She Reveals What She’ll Miss The Most When She Leaves, March 5, 2024
Snopes, Elon Musk Fired 'The View' Cast After Acquiring ABC? April 25, 2024
Variety, ‘The View’: All Co-Hosts Returning for Season 27, As Talk Show Ranked No. 1 in Daytime for 2022-2023 (EXCLUSIVE), Aug. 15, 2023
Page Six, Joy Behar awkwardly avoids question about being fired from ‘The View’ in 2013, March 5, 2024
The Walt Disney Co., Disney Entertainment, accessed May 24, 2024
The Washington Post, Walt Disney Co. to buy Capital Cities/ABC, July 31, 1995
Justice Department, Justice Department Clears Walt Disney/Capital Cities/ABC Merger After Disney Announces Plans To Sell Los Angeles TV Station, Jan. 16, 1996
The Walt Disney Co., Disney Showcases its Global Reach and Enviable Blend of Innovation and Storytelling at 2024 Upfront, May 14, 2024
WABC-TV, Disney rolls out new lineup of programming at 2024 upfront, May 15, 2024
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No, Elon Musk hasn't acquired ABC and fired the cast of ‘The View’
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