CNN's Kaitlan Collins Warns of FCC's 'Slippery Slope' Over Late Show Threats
CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins has raised serious concerns about what she describes as a "slippery slope" following recent threats from the Federal Communications Commission against late-night television talk shows. During an appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Tuesday night, Collins discussed the potential implications of the FCC's actions under the current administration.
Colbert's Censorship Accusation and FCC's Equal Time Rule
Earlier this week, Stephen Colbert publicly accused his network, CBS, of censorship after claiming he was unable to air an interview with Texas state Representative James Talarico, a Democrat who is running for U.S. Senate. This controversy stems from threats made last month by FCC Chair Brendan Carr to enforce equal time regulations for television talk shows. The equal time rule, a long-standing FCC policy, requires broadcasters to provide comparable airtime to all political candidates if they give time to one.
CBS responded with a statement explaining that Colbert's show "was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Representative Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled." Despite this, Colbert's interview with Talarico is available for viewing on YouTube, highlighting the tension between network decisions and regulatory pressures.
Collins' Analysis of the FCC's Role
During the interview, Colbert remarked that "the chains are off" regarding the Trump administration's use of the FCC and asked Collins to weigh in on what he called the president's "apparent weaponizing of the FCC." Collins noted that since Brendan Carr assumed his position, his actions have not been surprising to those closely following the administration. She emphasized that the critical question is how far Carr will go with his threats and whether merely making them could be enough to influence networks' actions.
"For instance, if you threaten the network and then they might just do it for you without actually ... making a ruling of any kind," Colbert quipped, underscoring the potential for regulatory pressure to lead to self-censorship. Historically, since 2006, networks have relied on an FCC Media Bureau ruling that classified talk shows like Colbert's as exempt from equal opportunities requirements, considering them genuine news interviews. However, last month, the bureau reversed this stance, stating that networks can no longer depend on that exemption because "the agency has not been presented with any evidence that the interview portion of any late night or daytime television talk show program on air presently would qualify."
The Broader Implications and Collins' Concerns
Collins expressed deep worry about the broader consequences of the FCC's threats. "I think it's actually a really, really slippery slope, because I think that you've seen some people on the right cheering this and saying, 'well, that's what we want Brendan Carr to do,'" she said. She pointed out that those cheering might not consider the precedent it sets, such as a future Democratic administration mandating that right-wing talk radio provide equal time to Democrats.
She further explained her personal approach on her CNN show, "The Source," where she prefers to have both Democrats and Republicans appear. "I want to know what everyone's saying and my viewers to know what the debate is that's in Washington," Collins stated. In her concluding remarks, she asserted, "I don't think anyone wants the federal government telling people who they should book on their show and who the guests should be on their show," a sentiment that was met with cheers and applause from the audience.
This incident highlights ongoing debates about media freedom, regulatory overreach, and the balance between fair political coverage and editorial independence in the evolving landscape of broadcast journalism.
