CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip Colbert Slams CBS, Says Lawyers Told Him Not To Air Dem Interview
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Feb 18, 2026 A heated clash over whether a network silenced a late-night interview makes free speech and FCC rules the central fight. Legal and political fallout from a Fulton County filing raises questions about seized ballots and federal credibility. A New York mayor proposes steep tax hikes on the wealthy, sparking debate over feasibility and who would leave the city. A tribute remembers Jesse Jackson’s cultural and organizing legacy.
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Late-Night Interview Controversy
- Stephen Colbert says CBS lawyers barred him from airing a Texas Democratic candidate interview, framing it as censorship.
- CBS denies prohibition and cites FCC equal-time concerns after Brendan Carr signaled new enforcement.
Equal-Time Rule Reawakened
- The FCC's equal-time rule dates to the 1930s but talk shows were long exempted after precedents like Jay Leno's Arnold interview.
- FCC Chair Brendan Carr recently said exemptions may not apply to programs he deems partisan, raising legal uncertainty.
Capitulation Or Caution At CBS
- Panelists argue CBS may be preemptively capitulating to Trump-era pressure to avoid regulatory trouble.
- Colbert's choice to publish the interview online may have amplified attention more than airing it would have.