CBS allegedly bars Stephen Colbert from interviewing Texas Democratic candidate

US Late-Night Host Colbert Claims Interview with Texas Senate Candidate Was Blocked by CBS

Late-night show host Stephen Colbert has alleged that CBS pulled an interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico from Monday’s broadcast due to concerns about violating new regulatory guidance. The incident occurred during the start of early voting for Texas primaries, which feature a heated Democratic race between Talarico and US Representative Jasmine Crockett.

According to Colbert, CBS lawyers informed him in “no uncertain terms” that Talarico could not appear on The Late Show on Monday. Colbert stated that he was told he could not mention not having Talarico on the show either. He then proceeded with airing the interview on YouTube, as online material does not fall under the equal-time rule.

CBS disputed Colbert’s account, stating that its lawyers only provided legal guidance regarding the potential violation of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) equal-time rule. The rule requires broadcast networks to give equal time to political candidates. However, CBS claimed that it presented options for fulfilling the equal-time requirement for other candidates, including Crockett.

Talarico posted a clip of his interview with Colbert on X, calling it “the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.” During their conversation, Talarico expressed concerns about Trump’s administration potentially silencing those who criticize him. Crockett also weighed in, suggesting that Colbert could have avoided the issue by having her on the show.

The FCC has recently clarified its stance on talk shows and equal-time rules, stating that daytime and late-night television talk shows are no longer considered “bona fide” news programmes exempt from these regulations. The agency has opened an investigation into whether ABC’s The View daytime talk show violated equal time rules for interviews with political candidates.

The incident highlights the ongoing debate about media regulation and the role of the FCC in enforcing equal-time requirements.

Source: Al Jazeera