Stephen Colbert revealed on his late-night show on February 16 that CBS prevented him from airing an interview with Texas state representative James Talarico, a Democratic Senate candidate, due to new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) guidance. This guidance, issued under the Trump administration and championed by FCC Chair Brendan Carr, requires broadcast networks to offer equal airtime to all candidates for the same office, potentially impacting talk shows previously considered exempt as "bona fide news." CBS stated they provided legal guidance, not a prohibition, and offered options to fulfill equal-time obligations. Colbert criticized the FCC and CBS, suggesting the move was politically motivated to silence criticism of President Trump, and instead posted the interview to his show's YouTube page, where it garnered significant views.