FCC Finds New Way to Tackle Anti-Trump Talk Shows
WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) – The Federal Communications Commission said on Wednesday that daytime and late-night talk shows that feature interviews with political candidates must comply with “equal time” rules that give air time to the opinions of opposing candidates and that the shows cannot rely on a 2006 ruling that suggested they were exempt.
Until now, talk shows have qualified for the equal opportunity exemption as genuine news interviews, since the FCC Media Office granted an exemption to Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” interview portion in 2006.
Networks have relied on the ruling as precedent for recent interviews with political candidates.
However, the FCC’s Media Office said Wednesday that networks should not rely on that 2006 decision, adding that the agency “has not been presented with any evidence that the interview portion of any late-night or daytime television talk show currently broadcast would qualify” for an exemption.
The agency added that any program or station seeking assurances that equal time requirements do not apply should “immediately file a petition for a declaratory resolution.”
via News
Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said the guidance was at odds with the commission’s long-held view that late-night shows and daytime newscasts are entitled to editorial discretion based on newsworthiness, not political favoritism.
He said the announcement was “an escalation in the FCC’s ongoing campaign to censor and control speech… The First Amendment does not yield to government intimidation. Broadcasters should not feel pressured to dilute, sanitize or avoid critical coverage for fear of regulatory retaliation.”
President Donald Trump late Wednesday posted a link to a news story on the issue that said the FCC was targeting ABC daytime talk show “The View” and ABC late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live” over equal time rules for politicians.
Trump has repeatedly pressured FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to take action against American broadcasters. Trump has criticized the news coverage and said he will play a role in deciding whether a proposed merger between Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery should go ahead.
In September, Carr said the FCC should consider reviewing whether “The View” violates the equal time commission’s rules by covering rival political candidates. Carr faced bipartisan criticism after pressuring broadcasters to take Kimmel’s show off the air in September.
The rules do not apply to so-called bona fide news programs and generally go into effect 90 days before the nomination of a political candidate through a convention or caucus.
“For years, traditional television networks assumed that their daytime and late-night talk shows qualify as ‘genuine news’ programs, even when motivated by purely partisan political purposes,” Carr said. “Today, the FCC reminded them of their obligation to provide all candidates with an equal opportunity.”
The major television networks (NBC, News, ABC and News) did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In December, Trump criticized an ABC News correspondent for asking Saudi Arabia’s crown prince about the 2018 murder of a Washington Post columnist and suggested the FCC should move to revoke the broadcast licenses of ABC stations owned by Walt Disney.
In July, the FCC approved the $8.4 billion merger between News parent Paramount Global and Skydance Media after Skydance agreed to ensure News’ news and entertainment programs were free of bias and hired an ombudsman to review complaints and end diversity programs.
In January 2025, Carr reinstated a complaint against Comcast-owned NBC for allowing then-Vice President Kamala Harris to appear on “Saturday Night Live” just before the November 2024 election.