FCC Chair Signals Equal Time Scrutiny Could Extend To Radio.

The facts between “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert and CBS over whether he was, in fact, directed not air an interview with a Texas Senate candidate are disputed. But FCC Chair Brendan Carr says there is no disputing the fact that his agency’s equal time rules apply to talk radio as much as TV talk shows.

“We haven’t seen the same issues on the radio side, but the equal time rule is going to apply to broadcast across the board. And we’ll take a look at anything that that arises at the end of the day,” Carr said Wednesday.

Colbert said CBS refused to allow him to air his interview with Texas candidate James Talarico as primary voting begins. The FCC released an advisory in January stating not all entertainment programs fall under the news exemption to the equal opportunities requirement. Colbert said concerns by management about those rules were behind the decision.

But CBS denies pressuring Colbert, saying he was given several options, including offering equal time to other candidates. Yet critics think the CBS move was the result of pressure by the FCC as its parent Paramount Skydance seeks approval for a multibillion-dollar merger.

Carr told reporters he has been “highly entertained” by the arc of the developments, suggesting the facts are not what Colbert has presented. Instead, he believes Colbert and Talarico used the issue to draw attention to their interview and raise dollars for the candidate.

Colbert has been relentless his criticism of Carr since the controversy surrounding the Jimmy Kimmel suspension. Carr pushed back, saying it’s probably “tough” to be Colbert, considering his show will end its run in May.

“He’s had what he probably views as a long and distinguished career in the limelight. He sees that that limelight is fading and is coming to an end. That’s got to be a difficult time for him,” Carr said. “I get it, but that doesn’t change the facts of what happened here.” He said Colbert had several options that would have allowed Talarico to remain on his late-night sofa, including not running the show in Texas. Or offering rival Jasmine Crockett equal time. “The whole idea here is more speech, not less,” added Carr.

The FCC has said that any talk show can petition the FCC to try and qualify for the news exemption. But Carr says none has made a request. He also confirmed that the FCC has opened an investigation into ABC-TV’s “The View” over its earlier Talarico interview.

Commissioner Anna Gomez says the incidents have again demonstrated how the Trump administration is pressuring broadcasters with “baseless” inquiries over content it doesn’t agree with. “Keeping everybody on their toes, forcing them to pay for lawyers, forcing them to respond to agency inquiries — it’s all a part of the ultimate goal of bringing these broadcasters to heel,” she said.

The kerfuffle has led some on the left to suggest the same scrutiny should be on conservative talk radio, and Carr’s enforcement will open the door to similar moves if Democrats regain the White House. But Gomez, the lone Democrat on the Commission, suggested the off switch is just as powerful.

“The equal time rules apply equally across [TV] broadcasters and radio, and we should apply them equally,” Gomez said. “But we should respect the First Amendment. There’s plenty of content on radio I’m not particularly fond of, but that’s why I don’t listen to it. I have plenty of other outlets I can go to.”

Read the FCC’s equal time rules HERE.