CBS Denies Forcing Stephen Colbert to Not Air Talarico Interview Over FCC Rule

CBS Clarifies Decision to Pull Interview with Texas State Rep. James Talarico

CBS has issued a statement clarifying the situation surrounding the decision to not air an interview with Texas state Rep. James Talarico on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on Monday. Contrary to Colbert’s initial claims, CBS stated that they did not force the show to pull the interview, but rather provided legal guidance regarding the FCC’s equal-time rule.

According to CBS, the network’s legal team advised “The Late Show” that airing Talarico’s interview could potentially trigger the FCC’s equal-time rule, which would require providing equal time to other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett. The network presented options to fulfill this requirement, and ultimately, “The Late Show” decided to release the interview on its YouTube channel with on-air promotion rather than airing it on TV.

During Monday’s episode, Colbert had mentioned that CBS lawyers had blocked the interview with Talarico and instructed him not to discuss the matter on air. He criticized the FCC’s recent warning about enforcing the equal-time rule for political programming on late-night and daytime talk shows, citing Chairman Brendan Carr’s statement that the exemption would not apply to partisan broadcasts.

Colbert expressed frustration at the situation, accusing the Trump administration of attempting to silence dissenting voices on TV. He also highlighted the financial implications of the decision, referencing CBS’s previous statement about ending “The Late Show” for financial reasons.

Following the broadcast, “The Late Show” released the interview with Talarico on various digital platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. The move to censor Colbert received criticism from FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, who condemned it as corporate capitulation to political pressures.

Overall, CBS’s clarification sheds light on the complexities of navigating political regulations in media programming and the challenges faced by late-night shows in addressing controversial topics.