The Center for American Rights is taking aim at late night, calling for an FCC investigation into ABC, CBS and NBC’s “persistent abuse of public airwaves” through “ideologically one-sided” programming.
In a letter to FCC chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday, the conservative-leaning law firm argued that Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon and Jon Stewart have collectively featured 106 liberal guests on their shows from Jan. 6 to June 30, 2025, compared to just one conservative guest.
It specifically called out Colbert’s program as a “mainstay of liberal politics” and celebrated the show’s cancellation in 2026 as a “positive development.” It also knocked Colbert and Kimmel for headlining fundraisers and rallies for Democratic candidates.
“Democrats’ appearances on late-night shows are a cornerstone of the DC-Hollywood axis, giving Democratic politicians the opportunity to rub elbows with celebrities during glowing, softball interviews that portray them as funny, hip, and cool,” Center for American Rights president Daniel Suhr wrote. “It is a massive abuse of the public airwaves.”
“At least up until today, it could be justified as a profitable (mis)use of the airwaves, indicating some critical mass of consumers wanted it. Now that myth is busted as well,” Suhr added. “The Commission should act to ascertain whether late-night shows on broadcast channels are violating broadcasters’ public interest obligations by advancing private agendas.”
The latest FCC complaint from the Center for American Rights comes after it previously accused ABC, NBC and CBS of “news distortion” late last year.
At the time, it alleged that ABC gave former vice president Kamala Harris preferential treatment when the network hosted the September presidential debate. It also knocked CBS’ editing of Harris’ interview with “60 Minutes” and accused NBC of violating the FCC’s equal time rule when Harris appeared on “Saturday Night Live” during the weekend leading up to the presidential election.
Though Carr’s predecessor Jessica Rosenworcel dismissed the complaints for being “at odds” with the First Amendment, he would end up reinstating them after taking over the chair role. He notably asked CBS to turn over its transcript and video footage to the Harris interview as part of an investigation into the allegations, which was subsequently opened up to a public comment period that ended on March 24.
Carr, who is currently reviewing CBS parent company Paramount Global’s pending $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, has knocked the public outrage over The Late Show’s cancellation.
“The partisan left’s ritualist wailing and gnashing of teeth over Colbert is quite revealing,” he wrote in an X post on Tuesday. “They’re acting like they’re losing a loyal DNC spokesperson that was entitled to an exemption from the laws of economics.”
Representatives for NBC declined to comment. The FCC, ABC, CBS and the late night shows did not immediately return TheWrap’s request for comment.
