Trump FCC's equal-time crackdown doesn't apply equally—or at all—to talk radio

In the Trump FCC's latest series of attacks on TV broadcasters, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has been [threatening to enforce][1] the equal-time rule on daytime and late-night talk shows. The interview portions of talk shows have historically been exempt from equal-time regulations, but Carr has a habit of interpreting FCC rules in novel ways to target networks disfavored by President Trump.

Critics of Carr point out that his threats of equal-time enforcement apply unequally since he hasn't directed them at talk radio, which is [predominantly][2] conservative. Given the similarities between interviews on TV and radio shows, Carr has been asked to explain why he issued an equal-time enforcement warning to TV but not radio broadcasters.

Carr's responses to the talk radio questions have been vague, even as he tangled with *Late Show* host Stephen Colbert and launched an [investigation into ABC's *The View*][3] over its interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. In a [press conference][4] after the FCC's February 18 meeting, Deadline reporter Ted Johnson asked Carr why he has not expressed "the same concern about broadcast talk radio as broadcast TV talk shows."

[Read full article][5]

[Comments][6]

[1]: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/01/trump-fcc-tries-to-get-more-republicans-on-late-night-and-daytime-talk-shows/
[2]: https://www.cato.org/commentary/talk-radio-turning-millions-americans-conservatives
[3]: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/02/trump-fcc-investigates-the-view-reportedly-says-fake-news-will-be-punished/
[4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW0Tsya97-o&t=3688s
[5]: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/03/trump-fccs-equal-time-crackdown-doesnt-apply-equally-or-at-all-to-talk-radio/
[6]: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/03/trump-fccs-equal-time-crackdown-doesnt-apply-equally-or-at-all-to-talk-radio/#comments

James Talarico and Stephen Colbert on the set of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.


https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/03/trump-fccs-equal-time-crackdown-doesnt-apply-equally-or-at-all-to-talk-radio/