Blumenthal Opens Senate Probe Into Paramount and FCC Over Colbert–Talarico Interview
The request targets internal communications about CBS’s response to new FCC equal‑time guidance tied to political interviews.
Overview
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal sent formal letters to Paramount CEO David Ellison and the FCC seeking all records on the decision not to broadcast Stephen Colbert’s interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico.
- The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations set a March 6 deadline for documents and communications, including exchanges with the FCC and the White House.
- CBS says it did not prohibit the segment and instead provided legal guidance on potential equal‑time obligations, while Paramount says it has received the letter and is reviewing it.
- Colbert has said CBS blocked the interview from airing on television, and the segment was posted to YouTube, where it has drawn millions of views.
- Blumenthal argues FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s January guidance narrows longstanding exemptions in a way that chills speech and links Paramount’s actions to concerns about political favoritism during merger and antitrust reviews.