February 18, 2026 - WASHINGTON - On Tuesday, FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez issued the following statement after The Late Show host Steven Colbert revealed that CBS declined to air an interview with a Democratic candidate amid ongoing political pressure from the FCC:

“This is yet another troubling example of corporate capitulation in the face of this Administration’s broader campaign to censor and control speech. The FCC has no lawful authority to pressure broadcasters for political purposes or to create a climate that chills free expression. CBS is fully protected under the First Amendment to determine what interviews it airs, which makes its decision to yield to political pressure all the more disappointing.

“It is no secret that Paramount, CBS’s parent company, has regulatory matters before the government, but corporate interests cannot justify retreating from airing newsworthy content. The FCC is powerless to impose restrictions on protected speech, and any attempt to intimidate broadcasters into self-censorship undermines both press freedom and public trust. I once again urge broadcasters and their parent companies to stand firm against these unlawful pressures and continue exercising their constitutional right to speak freely and without government interference.”

For more information on the FCC’s equal time rules, click here.

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Office of Commissioner Anna M. Gomez: (202) 418-2100
ASL Videophone: (844) 432-2275
www.fcc.gov/leadership/anna-gomez

Source: FCC