Colbert said CBS caved to political pressure. Do you agree? | Opinion
Trump-appointed regulators say broadcasters have a fairness problem and should be punished if they don't rethink long-standing liberal biases. What do you think? Tell us below.
Joel BurgessLate-night talk show host Stephen Colbert has accused CBS executives of refusing to broadcast his interview with a Texas Democratic lawmaker because they were afraid of punishment by President Donald Trump's activist regulators.
The venerable network denied it blocked the broadcast. But the fight highlights the ongoing conflict over media independence and the fairness of broadcasts about politics.
Other flashpoints in the conflict include funding for NPR and PBS slashed by Congress at Trump's urging, Trump saying broadcasters should have their federal licenses pulled for what he sees as distorted news coverage, and Paramount paying the president a multimillion dollar lawsuit settlement over a Kamala Harris interview that critics called a bribe for approval of a Paramount merger.
What do you think? Is it a free speech or a fairness issue?
Considering the power and profitability of streaming channels, networks and other media, we wanted to hear about it from you, our USA TODAY readers. Is the Trump administration trampling on the media and free speech? Or should these broadcasters be pushed to root out bias?
Tell us using the form below for a chance to be included in a follow-up post. You can also email us at [email protected] using the subject line "Colbert interview" or leave us a voicemail at (202) 655-3923.
Joel Burgess is a Voices editor for USA TODAY Opinion.