Should Late Night Shows Be Required to Give Political Candidates Equal Air Time? NTD Panel Weighs In

Late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert is accusing the Trump administration of censorship.
Published: 2/17/2026, 11:58:21 PM EST

Late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert is accusing the Trump administration of censorship. He says CBS blocked him from airing an interview with Texas Democratic state lawmaker James Talarico. The issue hinges on the FCC’s equal-time rule, which requires the network to provide equal coverage to political candidates from both parties.

Joining us now to examine the issue is Laurie Watkins, a political strategist and a former policy adviser to President Barack Obama, along with attorney and conservative commentator David Pollack.