FCC Rule That Requires Leftist TV Hosts to Play Fair Leads Colbert to Dump Dem Interview from Network Rather Than Provide Equal Time to Republicans
In January, The Gateway Pundit reported that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a crackdown on partisan talk shows in both daytime and late-night in an effort to provide equal treatment for political candidates.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said at the time, “For years, legacy TV networks assumed that their late night & daytime talk shows qualify as “bona fide news” programs – even when motivated by purely partisan political purposes.”
“Today, the FCC reminded them of their obligation to provide all candidates with equal opportunities.”
For years, legacy TV networks assumed that their late night & daytime talk shows qualify as “bona fide news” programs – even when motivated by purely partisan political purposes.
Today, the FCC reminded them of their obligation to provide all candidates with equal opportunities pic.twitter.com/sWiQmqQHCq
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) January 21, 2026
As a result of the rules, CBS chose not to air an interview between Late Night host Stephen Colbert and Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico on the network.
The interview was instead moved to YouTube, and Colbert was not pleased.
In an effort to look like a Free Speech warrior, Colbert mentioned Talarico during the show and said, “He was supposed to be here, but we were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on the broadcast.”
“Then, then I was told in some uncertain terms that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on. And because my network clearly doesn’t want us to talk about this, let’s talk about this.”
The FCC rules say nothing about not having a political guest on.
Colbert is being purposely disingenuous by trying to frame the decision as an attack on Free Speech or an attempt to shut down a Democrat politician.
The rule only requires that equal time be given.
He can criticize or promote Democrats as much as he wants in his commentary or monologues, but when he invites actual candidates onto the show—giving them valuable, unpaid airtime on public broadcast spectrum—he must offer comparable opportunities to their opponents in the same race.
Colbert is so demonstrably partisan that he would rather not have Talarico on the network than have to give equal time to his opponents.
All he has to do is put a republican candidate on the air as well.
So why doesn’t he?
I predicted this was going to happen about three years ago that if late night talk shows are going to be forums for one political party messaging, then equal time laws are to come into… https://t.co/78bwSU0hv8
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) February 17, 2026
Following Talarico’s appearance on ABC’s “The View,” the FCC launched an investigation for running afoul of the requirements.
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