fairness-doctrine

CBS didn’t “ban” Stephen Colbert’s interview with Rep. James Talarico, but it wouldn’t air it either, citing FCC equal-time fears. That small decision exposes a bigger shift: late-night TV is suddenly being treated like campaign real estate, where a single guest can trigger legal blowback. Talarico, a fast-rising Texas Democrat with preacher-grade delivery and teacher clarity, became the test case. The real question is what happens to political speech when networks decide the safest move is silence.