CBS / Paramount Skydance
Media conglomerate that preemptively censored Colbert's interview with Talarico before the FCC changed any rules — then released a statement contradicting Colbert's account without consulting him.
The Pattern of Capitulation
CBS/Paramount’s response to Trump administration pressure followed a consistent pattern of corporate surrender:
60 Minutes Settlement (July 2025)
Paid $16 million to settle Trump’s lawsuit over editorial decisions in a Kamala Harris interview. Agreed to release transcripts of future presidential candidate interviews. The settlement was described by the Knight First Amendment Institute as a “curtain call for the First Amendment.”
DEI Policies (2025)
Ended corporate DEI policies in apparent response to FCC Chairman Carr’s investigation.
Skydance Merger (July-August 2025)
The $8 billion Paramount-Skydance merger received FCC approval on July 24, 2025 — just weeks after the $16 million Trump settlement.
The Talarico Block (February 2026)
CBS lawyers preemptively told Colbert he could not broadcast his interview with James Talarico — before the FCC had actually changed the equal time rules. With a hostile $108 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery pending, the corporation had every incentive to avoid provoking the administration.
The Denial Statement
After Colbert revealed the block on air, CBS released a statement claiming the show was merely “provided legal guidance” and had chosen on its own to put the interview on YouTube. Colbert called the statement “crap” and revealed that CBS lawyers had called him backstage during the previous night’s show to dictate specific language — and had approved every word of his script.