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CBS didn't air Rep. James Talarico interview out of fear of FCC

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Re: CBS didn't air Rep. James Talarico interview out of fear of FCC

#161

Reminder that the most reliable way to prevent the rise of the far right is to implement robust safety nets and low inequality, to reduce status anxiety and grievance. Support for such measures (welfare, healthcare, unionization, high taxes etc) is usually low among Americans. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/10/welfare-cuts...

That's why the rightward shift is unavoidable and corporate Dems like Talarico only further this shift into fascism. Even if liberals win it only means the next right-wing candidate is going to be even more extreme than the last.

People think that's crazy talk, even though it's happening right in front of their faces since Obama, we're cooked.

Re: CBS didn't air Rep. James Talarico interview out of fear of FCC

#162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. Mark Zuckerberg has long said the administration pressured Facebook to censor COVID-related content, including satire and humor. And now the administration has ended public funding for NPR and PBS. Chilling effect It goes back even further, just see the 1941 FCC “Mayflower Decision” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayflower_doctrine

When you say "the administration", it's worth noting you're describing actions by two different administrations. Both political parties have tried to silence dissenting views through soft censorship.

Censoring an interview with a political opponent is a far cry from spreading disinformation that is counter to broadly accepted medical advice during a pandemic with the intent of harming the general population.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shouting_fire_in_a_crowded_the...

Re: CBS didn't air Rep. James Talarico interview out of fear of FCC

#163
post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fear is the enforcement mechanism because it can't be challenged in court. It is long past time for everyone in tech to take a long hard look at the current situation and stop doing anything that financially benefits Musk, Ellison, or Thiel.

Chilling effect has a long history of being well considered as unconstitutional harm in the courts https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/chilling-effect/

Who would have standing to challenge this though?

Re: CBS didn't air Rep. James Talarico interview out of fear of FCC

#164

It is a great illustration of how transition to the authoritarianism happens (I've seen it happen in Russia in 2000s). At first you don't even need censorship, you just need to scare owners of channels/newspapers enough, so that they self-censor.

I think the FCC is just enforcing the rule that you have to give equal time to all candidates. The late night talk shows used to get around this policy by using the exception given to news agencies. The FCC is just saying that the late night talk shows aren't really "news" shows. Probably should have been doing this the whole time. They also noted that it would not be a problem on cable or internet broadcasts. Not sa…

Except that they haven't said that. They said they were "thinking"about it.

They evidently also don't apply this rule to talk radio, which is overwhelmingly conservative. Talk about putting your thumb on the scale.

Re: CBS didn't air Rep. James Talarico interview out of fear of FCC

#166
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In FCC DA 26-68 they gave public notice of their change of interpretation/enforcement of the equal time rules to apply to this situation.

> In FCC DA 26-68 Jan 21. Shapiro appeared Jan 26.

Carr made public comments January 29.[1] The 1st news report of FCC investigation was published February 7 seemingly.[2] And CBS's risk and reward estimates for a current official and a candidate could have differed.[3] And Ossoff and Shapiro had not filed as candidates reportedly.[4]

[1] https://thedesk.net/2026/01/fcc-chairman-comments-equal-time...

[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-agency-investigating-if-...

[3] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47050290

[4] https://latenighter.com/news/jon-ossoffs-colbert-fcc-equal-t...

Re: CBS didn't air Rep. James Talarico interview out of fear of FCC

#168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This can be seen as a 4D chess move by CBS. It isn't. CBS is owned by the Ellisons, who are big Trump supporters. They are absolutely complicit in attempts to quash dissenting voices. You're right that the Streisand effect is in play here, but it's not 4D chess. It's garden-variety incompetence, because the policy makers in the government are too old to see anything other than broadcast TV as the most valuable medi…

Comedians have a knack for succinctly expressing the truth: > "Let's just call this what it is: Donald Trump's administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV because all Trump does is watch TV," Colbert joked.

Technically doesn't Trump also spend a lot of time golfing, and attending events where people praise Trump - admittedly for broadcast on TV but not necessarily while watching TV?

I see that it's become harder to track because the White House doesn't disclose what he's doing as much, but yeah, lots of golf still.

Re: CBS didn't air Rep. James Talarico interview out of fear of FCC

#169

The interview in YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiTJ7Pz_59A

It's kind of ironic, so much drama all for a safe centrist corporate democrat. Although perhaps that's why it's such a big deal for liberals, it's oligarchical infighting. It's even more confusing that he's funded by the same billionaires that trump is. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/21/james-talarico-miri...

I cheer on and have volunteered for progressive candidates before on the east coast. NYC keeps putting out rockstars. I guess its something about this diverse pressure cooker of a city? I don't know but they keep doing it.

You are talking about Texas, an also ran mess that has a lot of work to do. Lets put aside the fact that they love their unique flavors of voter suppression. At best, for now all we can hope is whichever nobody gets elected does not cause trouble for the party like Fetterman.

And lets be real, they will be gone once the heat dies down post Trump and the state flips back to Republican.

All states seem to be going towards an enlightenment towards the left but at wildy different rates. Progressives focusing on the coasts + the rust belt make sense as those states have a history of economic populism (and are swing states) whereas Texas might come around a long time from now once the oil companies decline enough and the modern company towns made by people like Musk fall apart like they always historically have. You need a trigger of extreme economic pain for the people to finally bite the bullet and try something new. Texas is not there yet. They have better cost of living and enough industry but they are definitely on the road to disaster in many areas.

Re: CBS didn't air Rep. James Talarico interview out of fear of FCC

#170

Rough spot in time to be: - Once print newspapers were no longer a thing, even local news outlets are struggling to stay alive, and are resulting to sensationalism and entertainment as news - Corporate sponsors retain a huge influence in mainstream news (or have outright purchased it and use it for partisan politics). - "Social" media resides in (you guessed it) corporate-owned walled gardens. - Even those willing to…

This is just an opinion.

Follow trusted journalists that have a history of superb journalism. You have to decide what is good for yourself. Also industry specific journalists for deeper insight into industry you care about. Many of the greats realize that all the news companies are sinking ships and are trying to establish their own thing before things completely collapse.

Focus on what each journalist specializes in and don't read too much into it when they report on topics that are not their forte (like Breaking points talking about AI). Many journalists stay in their lane but the groups covering all the news don't. I wish all journalists would stay in their lane but this is not the world we live in anymore.

For everything else that you are not willing to invest the time in, just accept you are not going to get great coverage.

My (typically far left) biases are comfortable with the following (these are not all far left)

Zeteo + dropsite for foreign middle east leaning coverage

Breaking points for daily news

Ken Klippenstein, Glenn greenwald for national security state/us government news. Klippenstein is more fun (when he gets an FBI email asking for info but also politely asking to not release it, he goes ahead and provides a download link). Greenwald feels a bit more dry.

Industry specific: autoline (youtube+website) for automotive, semianalysis for semi.

Again this is just my opinion, please decide for yourself.

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