"Carr's novel interpretation of the equal time rule has become a source of stress and censorship for talk shows that touch on politics. Talk shows had been exempt since 2006, when the FCC allowed Jay Leno to interview political figures. But earlier this week, Colbert revealed that CBS scuttled his interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico over concerns that it would trigger FCC penalties."
""The general rule is equal time applies," he said. "There's narrow exceptions you have to fit in." Carr, who was also a key author of Project 2025, added, "Congress passed the equal time provision for a very specific reason. They did not want the media leads in Hollywood and in New York to put their thumbs on the scale and pick their winners and losers in primaries and general elections. That's the point.""
"Imagine that in 2028 during the Republican primaries, SNL booked Marco Rubio to host. If Rubio did well, his appearance could theoretically help him beat JD Vance for the Republican nomination, giving SNL an outsized influence in politics. The equal time rule says that in this scenario, Vance would be able to file a petition with the FCC. If it held up, the Vice President would have the right to purchase equal time on the network at the same rate."
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is pursuing enforcement action against The View and increasing pressure on late-night programs like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Carr argues that talk shows are not news and should not qualify for the news exemption to the equal time rule. Talk shows were previously treated as exempt since 2006 after Jay Leno interviews. CBS canceled a Colbert interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico citing FCC penalty concerns. The equal time provision can allow rivals to demand or purchase equivalent broadcast time; Carr encourages petitions and cites congressional intent to prevent media favoritism.
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