Colbert vs CBS: The Real Story Behind the Censorship Claims

For the 12 viewers who tuned into late-night TV Tuesday morning, an unexpected drama was unfolding. Stephen Colbert was publicly attacking his own network, CBS, in a move that would ignite a fierce debate about media freedom in the Trump era.

"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," Colbert declared during The Late Show opening. "Not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on. And because my network clearly does not want us to talk about this, let's talk about this."

The guest in question was James Talarico, a Texas Democratic Senate candidate. Colbert claimed CBS lawyers feared retaliation from the Federal Communications Commission and its Trump-loyalist chair, Brendan Carr.

The Equal-Time Dilemma

At the heart of this controversy lies the FCC's "equal-time" rule—a regulation requiring networks to provide equal airtime to candidates competing for the same office during campaign season. Late-night talk shows were long considered exempt, but in January, the Trump administration announced stricter enforcement against these programs.

The timing isn't coincidental. CBS's parent company Paramount is canceling Colbert's show in May, Trump sued Paramount/CBS over a 60 Minutes story in 2025, and Disney/ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel last year after Carr criticized one of his monologues. The FCC is reportedly investigating whether ABC'sThe View violated this rule by interviewing Talarico earlier this year.

"Let's just call this what it is: Donald Trump's administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV," Colbert argued Monday night.

CBS Fights Back

But CBS and Paramount are pushing back against Colbert's narrative. In statements shared with news organizations Tuesday, CBS denied prohibiting The Late Show from broadcasting the Talarico interview. Instead, the network claims it offered "legal guidance about the equal-time rule, as well as alternative options."

According to CBS, Colbert's show then decided "to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options."

The full segment, which had been taped but not aired, appeared on The Late Show's YouTube channel, where it has garnered over 5 million views.

Colbert doubled down Tuesday night, calling CBS's denial "crap" and arguing that "corporate lawyers already read and have to approve every script that goes on the air."

Campaign Politics Enter the Fray

The controversy has another layer: electoral politics. Talarico is running in a competitive primary against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a media darling who has appeared on The Late Show multiple times. Early voting in the Texas Senate primary began this week—timing that Crockett has pointedly noted.

"I do think there are additional layers at play here," she said Tuesday. "I do want to make sure that we have exactly what happened versus the mania that just so happens to play out on the very first day of early voting."

On a podcast, she suggested the drama may have given Talarico "the boost he was looking for." Early voting ends next week, with the primary scheduled for March 3.

The Bigger Picture: Who's Really Censoring Whom?

This saga reveals the complex dynamics of modern media censorship. Is this government overreach chilling free speech? Corporate lawyers being overly cautious? Or a savvy candidate manufacturing controversy for campaign benefit?

The truth likely involves elements of all three. The Trump administration's aggressive stance toward critical media coverage is well-documented. Corporate lawyers are increasingly risk-averse in today's litigious environment. And political campaigns have become expert at weaponizing media narratives.

What's clear is that the traditional boundaries between government regulation, corporate self-censorship, and campaign strategy have blurred beyond recognition.