FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has told reporters they should “feel ashamed” for spreading what he called “lies” about the FCC blocking an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. This came as Carr confirmed the agency is actively investigating The View for a potential violation of its equal-time rule.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico had claimed the FCC was the reason his Late Show interview did not air on CBS. The segment with Stephen Colbert was moved to the Late Show YouTube channel instead. Talarico said he raised $2.5 million after CBS moved the interview online.
According to The Wrap, Carr said he found the whole situation “highly entertaining” and did not hold back on the media’s role in the story, stating, “I think yesterday was a perfect encapsulation of why the American people have more trust in gas station sushi than they do in the national news media.”
The FCC’s equal-time investigation into ‘The View’ raises serious questions about fair political airtime
Carr confirmed that the FCC has an “enforcement action underway” regarding The View. The agency is looking into whether the show violated its equal-time rule, following Talarico’s appearance on the February 2 episode. Critics have argued that the FCC’s new probe into The View is less about fairness and more about political pressure.
The issue is that his opponent, Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett, had also appeared on the program weeks before. The equal-time rule is meant to ensure political candidates receive comparable airtime on broadcast stations, so that one candidate does not get an unfair advantage over another. Broadcast networks are required to follow this rule carefully, particularly during election seasons.
The Fox News chyron reads "Latest Dem hoax" at the same time that Brendan Carr confirms that yes, the FCC would've "enforced the law" and gone after CBS had Colbert aired his interview with Talarico on TV pic.twitter.com/VgGgVJ4fNl
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 19, 2026
A formal investigation means the FCC is looking closely at the details of both appearances on the show. Spokespeople for ABC News and “The View” have not responded to requests for comment. Without a response from the network, it remains unclear how they plan to address the agency’s concerns.
The situation shows how media regulation and political campaigning can overlap in complicated ways. Some observers have pointed to broader concerns about the FCC installing oversight monitors at CBS as a sign of growing federal pressure on broadcast networks. For many, these moves raise questions about where the line between regulation and political interference sits.
