Technology — FCC dismisses Colbert backlash

View Online Technology Technology The Big Story  FCC's Carr brushes off CBS-Talarico interview drama Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr downplayed controversy around an interview "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert conducted with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D) that was allegedly blocked from airing on CBS, dismissing it as a "hoax." © AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana Colbert kicked off a wave of outrage when he told his audience Monday that his employer told him "in no uncertain terms," that he could not air the interview — an accusation the network has denied saying it only advised the late-night host that it could open the company up to scrutiny over the FCC's "equal time" rule.   "I was highly entertained," Carr told reporters Wednesday during a press conference, speaking about the "arc of the news story," the interview itself and reaction to it being pulled.   "It was one of the most fun days I've had on the job watching the hilarity of how this story played out," he said.   Anyone who does not have "Trump Derangement Syndrome," the FCC chief quipped, can see "how it was gonna play out."   "A Democrat candidate who understood the way that the news media works and took advantage of all of your prior conceptions to run a hoax apparently for the purpose of raising money and getting clicks," Carr continued. "And apparently the news media played right into it."   The pulled interview came just days after the FCC launched an investigation into ABC over an interview Talarico sat for on "The View," also related to the department's equal time rule — a provision which requires broadcasters who use public airwaves to provide equal airtime to candidates for public office.   Cable news channels and streaming platforms, such as YouTube where Colbert eventually posted the interview, are not subject to the rule. Carr has also publicly floated the possibility of doing away with an exemption for daytime and late-night talk programs, like "The Late Show."   The Hill's Dominick Mastrangelo has more here. Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter, I'm Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future: Trump has prepared speech on extraterrestrial life, Lara Trump says President Trump is holding onto a speech detailing extraterrestrial life and spaceships, according to his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who said the president is waiting for the right time to deliver it. Lara Trump, speaking on the Pod Force One podcast, said the president has played coy when she and her husband Eric have asked about the existence of UFO's and aliens.  "We've kind of asked my father-in-law about this… we …  Full Story California wealth tax proposal splits Democrats ahead of midterms California Democrats are split over a state proposal, championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), to tax the state’s richest residents ahead of the November midterm elections, potentially thwarting any party unity on the issue in the Golden State. The Billionaire Tax Act would charge the state’s 200 billionaires with a five-percent tax on their net worth as a means to bring funding back to health care programs meant …  Full Story Google trying to recover footage from Nancy Guthrie's home cameras: Sheriff (NewsNation) — Investigators don’t yet have footage from various cameras at the home of missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, but Google is trying to retrieve it, said Arizona’s Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos. Nanos told NewsNation’s Brian Entin on Tuesday that authorities so far have only obtained Google Nest video from the front of the house — footage that was able to be recovered even though Guthrie didn’t …  Full Story The Refresh  News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics: U.S. plans online portal to bypass content bans in Europe and elsewhere (Reuters) Elon Musk's xAI gets $3 billion investment from Saudi-backed AI firm (New York Times) Mark Zuckerberg grilled on usage goals, underage users at California trial (Wall Street Journal) Op-eds in The Hill Opinions related to tech submitted to The Hill: Big tech on trial: Google faces a reckoning for anticompetitive ad dominance   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Technology page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001 Copyright © 1998 - 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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