Stephen Colbert, CBS and the FCC: What to know about the heated media feud

Viewers are not usually immersed in drama when watching a late-night comedy show. But that’s what was happening on the latest segment of “The Late Show.”

A three-way battle broke out this week between CBS and its liberal host Stephen Colbertand Federal Communications Commission (Federal Communications Commission) during an interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, leading to allegations about whether Colbert was allowed to broadcast the debate on television, and accusations of censorship and political manipulation.

But the shots fired starting Monday were the result of simmering tensions that eventually escalated on air and online.

Here’s a timeline of how the late-night TV series came to be:

July 17, 2025: CBS cancels The Late Show

CBS sent shockwaves through the media and political landscape last summer when it announced it had canceled The Late Show, officially pulling it from the air in May 2026.

The Tiffany network insisted the decision was purely a financial one, but liberal critics took issue with it, especially regarding the timing. Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, was in the middle of negotiations for an $8 billion merger with David Ellison’s Skydance, which sought approval from the president’s FCC. Donald TrumpHand-picked chair, Brendan Carr.

CBS cancels Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” to end the program in May 2026

Last year, CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The final episode will air in May. (Scott Kowalczyk/CBS via Getty Images)

Colbert’s defenders accused Paramount of rescinding his offer in order to get the merger past the finish line, which came in the aftermath Company settles with Trump On the network’s processing of it Kamala Harris interview on 60 Minutes.

However, it was reported that “The Late Show” was Loss of more than $40 million annually The network has a budget of more than $100 million per season.

July 24, 2025: FCC approves Paramount-Skydance merger

Just one week after CBS announced the cancellation of Colbert, the Federal Communications Commission gave the official green light to the $8 billion Paramount-Skydance deal.

In a statement at the time, Carr praised the “written commitments” Skydance had made to the FCC, saying that moving forward with programming would embody “a diverse range of viewpoints from across the political and ideological spectrum.”

Colbert, who described Paramount’s settlement with Trump as “A big squirt of fat“, he mocked the announced merger, which closed on August 7.

FCC approves Paramount and Skydance merger after Trump settlement and Colbert cancellation

The FCC approved Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance Media just days after CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show. (Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

January 21, 2026: FCC crackdown on liberal talk shows

Last month, the FCC announced it was implementing “statutory equal opportunity requirements,” a long-standing policy that allocates equal airtime to legally qualified candidates on the ballot on broadcast networks.

For decades, late-night talk shows and daytime talk shows were like ABC shows “The View” They were exempt from this policy as their networks classified them as “bona fide” news programs. However, the FCC now says that “no evidence has been provided that the interview portion of any late-night or daytime television talk show currently on the air would qualify for the ‘good faith’ news exemption.”

Colbert criticized the policy, accusing Carr and the FCC of… She tries to “silence” him. And his fellow late-night liberal comedians love him Jimmy Kimmel And Seth Meyers.

FCC cracks down on liberal late-night shows, ‘show’ doesn’t give equal time to GOP guests

February 6, 2026: FCC investigates “The View”

Fox News Digital was the first to report this The FCC launched an investigation In “point of view” regarding the equal time policy, which Carr later confirmed in a press conference on February 18.

What sparked the investigation was Tallarico’s appearance on an ABC daytime talk show on February 2. Tallarico, who is running for the Democratic Senate nomination in Texas, was among the first politicians to appear on broadcast talk shows after the FCC announced its policies.

Disney, ABC’s parent company, did not simultaneously file a filing with the FCC regarding Talarico’s recent appearance, which would imply to the FCC that Disney believes “The View” is bona fide news and will be exempt from the policy, an FCC source told Fox News Digital.

David Marcus: How Stephen Colbert cheated Democratic donors and burned Jasmine Crockett

Texas Democratic Sen. James Tallarico’s Feb. 2 appearance on “The View” prompted an FCC investigation into the ABC daytime talk show. (ABC/The View)

The policy would require ABC to have all of Talarico’s legally qualified Democratic primary challengers get equal airtime. Notably, his main rival, Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett, appeared on “The View” in early January for a longer period, but before the FCC announced its initiative. However, the policy would also require ABC to air little-known candidate Ahmed Hassan, who is on the ballot with Tallarico and Crockett.

Candidates do not necessarily have to appear on specific programs for networks to adhere to the policy, meaning they can either appear on a news program or the network can air their campaign ads as an addendum.

February 16, 2026: Alleged “censorship” of Colbert Tallarico interview

On Monday, Colbert made headlines when he told viewers about it CBS blocked his interview With Talarico from Broadcast.

“He was supposed to be here, but our network’s lawyers, who contacted us directly, told us in no uncertain terms that we couldn’t have him on the broadcast,” Colbert told viewers.

After citing the policy, Colbert continued: “Let’s call this what it is — the Donald Trump administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV because all Trump does is watch TV, okay? He’s like a little kid who’s had too much screen time.”

Colbert revealed this Tallarico interview It will be shared on his show’s YouTube page, which would avoid FCC policy. Tallarico accused CBS and other media companies of “selling broadcast television.” First AmendmentTo win Trump’s favor.

Liberal critics blasted CBS and the FCC with accusations of censorship, and the resulting uproar worked to Tallarico’s advantage.

The extra attention has led to the interview receiving more than 8 million views on YouTube since Monday night and Talarico promoting a $2.5 million fundraiser within 24 hours.

Colbert told viewers that CBS lawyers blocked him from airing his interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Tallarico, which was shared on his show’s YouTube page. (Scott Kowalczyk © 2026 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

February 17, 2026: CBS responds to Colbert

The next day, as liberal anger toward the network grew, CBS issued a statement insisting that it had not blocked Tallarico’s interview.

“CBS did not prevent the late show from airing the interview with Rep. James Tallarico,” the network told Fox News Digital in a statement.

The statement continued: “The show was provided with legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC’s equal time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and provided options for how to achieve equal time for the other candidates. THE LATE SHOW decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion in the broadcast rather than potentially provide equal time options.”

Crockett herself reacted to the controversy and admitted that “the federal government didn’t shut that part down” and that Colbert could have been “clear.”[ed] The problem” is if he had placed it but chose not to.

CBS denies it blocked Colbert from airing an interview with Talrico after the network’s lawyers sued the host.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, is seeking the Democratic nomination for state Senate. (Omar Vega/Getty Images)

Colbert criticized CBS’s “nonsense” statement.He told viewers that CBS did not contact him before making the statement.

“I don’t know what this is. For the record, I’m not even crazy. I really don’t want an adversarial relationship with the network. I’ve never had an adversarial relationship before,” Colbert said. “I’m very surprised that this global giant won’t stand up to these bullies.”

The host also tried to defend himself by pointing out two interviews he had previously done with Crockett, except they were conducted before she launched her Senate bid in December.

David Marcus: How Stephen Colbert cheated Democratic donors and burned Jasmine Crockett

While liberal critics accused CBS of trying to censor, conservative critics accused Colbert of helping Tallarico, widely viewed as the establishment’s favorite candidate, and skirting FCC rules to avoid promoting Crockett in the final stretch of the campaign.

“You had a Democratic candidate who understood the way the news media worked, and he exploited all of your preconceived notions to run the con, apparently for the purpose of raising money and getting clicks. And the news media played a direct role in that.” Carr told reporters In a press conference on Wednesday.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr criticized the media “hoax” promoting the narrative that his agency was censoring Tallarico. (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

He continued, “Yesterday was a perfect summation of why the American people trust gas station sushi more than they trust the national media…and you guys ate it like shit.” “When it was pointed out that the facts were very different from what the fake news media was using, no one changed direction or corrected the facts. They turned and walked away.”

Carr added: “I think you guys should feel a little ashamed for being lied to and getting away with lies. I think it was an embarrassing episode for the media.”

Crockett told MS NOW on Friday that she did not receive an invitation to appear on “The Late Show” ahead of the closely watched March 3 primary.

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Meanwhile, Colbert is still set to host his canceled show through May with no sign of CBS pulling the show beforehand. And it looks like it’s coming down swinging.