Adam Schiff Grills FCC Over Colbert Cancellation

Adam Schiff continues to try to leverage the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert into potent political currency. After appearing as a guest on the show last month, Schiff yesterday fired off a letter to FCC chairman Brendan Carr demanding answers. “I am writing to clarify the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) terms and conditions for approving the recent the $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, including any role played by President Trump or his associates in influencing the FCC’s actions,” Schiff wrote. 

Specifically as it relates to late-night comedy, Schiff asked, “Did you, the Commission, or FCC staff have any communications with Skydance or Paramount representatives concerning specific programming content decisions, including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert or other shows, during the merger review process?”

While Schiff might be trying to score points with outraged voters, a serious issue is at play. After all, the FCC’s powers are limited by the First Amendment. Specifically, Schiff wrote to Carr, “the FCC does not have the authority to dictate editorial content, punish perceived political bias, compel or silence specific viewpoints, or reward parties on the basis of efforts to garner favor with elected officials.”

Facts are, Paramount fired Colbert and paid big money to quell questions about a 60 Minutes story prior to the FCC approving its sale to Skydance Media. The timing of those actions “raises significant questions and alarm that the FCC — an independent regulatory agency — has become a vehicle for President Trump to exact personal retribution and undermine the freedom of the press,” Schiff wrote. 

President Trump has butted heads with the California lawmaker over these and other issues in the recent past. When he appeared with Colbert on The Late Show last month, the charisma-challenged Senator accused the president of “creating a climate of fear. This is what he’s after.” In the case of CBS and Paramount, both of which capitulated to administration demands, that plan seems to have worked. “He is succeeding.”

Will Schiff’s inquiries do anything to slow down future attempts by the FCC to influence programming? It’s unclear what effect Congressional oversight can have, since a quid pro quo would be difficult to “prove” even when such political trades are glaringly obvious. 

Is there anything anybody can do? “The only way to push back,” Schiff told Colbert, “is to say, ‘Piss off.’” 

“But Donald, before you piss off,” he concluded, “would you release the Epstein files?”

It’s an easy punchline designed for late-night applause. But getting the FCC to admit political bias will be a tougher job for Schiff than leading the Colbert crowd to partisan cheers.