Overview
- Stephen Colbert said CBS lawyers told The Late Show it could not air his taped interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico and warned him not to mention the decision on air.
- CBS countered that it did not prohibit the broadcast, saying it advised the show that airing the segment could trigger equal‑time obligations for rivals, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and it outlined ways to comply.
- The Late Show posted the full interview to YouTube, which is not covered by the FCC rule, and Colbert said he was told not to show images of Talarico or share a direct link during the CBS broadcast.
- FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s Jan. 21 notice signaled stricter, case‑by‑case scrutiny of talk‑show interviews deemed partisan, even as the agency has not changed Section 315 or the long‑standing news‑interview exemption.
- The FCC is investigating ABC’s The View over a Talarico appearance, and Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez criticized CBS’s caution and described the FCC posture as intimidation, noting broadcasters retain First Amendment protections.