1927 – The Radio Act of 1927 creates the equal‑time rule, obligating broadcasters to provide comparable airtime to all political candidates; the rule later embeds in the 1934 Communications Act and underpins modern FCC policy[3].

1959 – Congress amends the equal‑time provision, softening requirements for news and documentary programming while preserving the core principle of candidate parity[3].

2024 – Savannah Chrisley appears on “The View” after speaking at the 2024 Republican National Convention, illustrating the show’s mix of liberal and conservative guests and foreshadowing the FCC’s later scrutiny of partisan balance[6].

Dec 15, 2025 – FCC Chair Brendan Carr opens an inquiry into KCBS‑AM after a report on immigration agents sparks conservative backlash, marking the first major post‑Trump‑era probe of a local station and prompting KCBS to curtail political coverage[9].

Jan 2026 – The FCC issues new guidance tightening equal‑time obligations for late‑night and daytime talk shows, stating that exemptions apply only to bona‑fide news programs and warning hosts that partisan‑motivated interviews may trigger the rule[5][8].

Feb 2, 2026 – Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico appears on “The View,” sharing the stage with primary opponent Rep. Jasmine Crockett; the segment raises questions about whether the show qualifies for the “bona‑fide news” exemption under the new FCC guidance[8].

Feb 17, 2026 – CBS lawyers tell Stephen Colbert “in no uncertain terms” that airing Talarico’s interview could invoke the equal‑time rule, prompting the network to bar the segment from broadcast and instead post it as an online‑only exclusive on YouTube[4].

Feb 18, 2026 – CBS announces it moves the Talarico interview to YouTube after receiving “legal guidance” about equal‑time compliance, while network lawyers assert they did not prohibit the interview, highlighting the tension between broadcast rules and digital platforms[1][4].

Feb 18, 2026 – FCC Chair Brendan Carr sends a “letter of inquiry” to ABC over a possible equal‑time violation on “The View,” signaling that the commission may extend enforcement to daytime talk shows and prompting CBS to alert Colbert during the Monday taping[2].

Feb 18, 2026 – Carr publicly declares that the historic exemption shielding late‑night talk shows from equal‑time rules no longer applies, labeling non‑news programs as “fake news” and asserting the rule aims to “stop legacy media… picking winners and losers in elections”[4][7].

Feb 18, 2026 – Colbert accuses Paramount of “caving to bullies” and claims this is the first time he is forced to follow equal‑time rules in his 21‑year career, framing the FCC’s pressure as “Democrat‑on‑Democrat violence”[2][5].

Feb 18, 2026 – Democratic FCC commissioner Anna Gómez condemns CBS’s compliance as “capitulation” to political pressure and calls the FCC’s investigation a “sham,” while also disputing Carr’s claim that the commission has changed the long‑standing news exemption[4][7].

Feb 18, 2026 – Jimmy Kimmel describes Carr’s approach as “a sneaky little way of keeping viewpoints that aren’t his off the air… a joke,” underscoring industry backlash against the broadened enforcement of the equal‑time rule[3].

Feb 19, 2026 – Carr threatens to “enforce the law” after CBS warns that the Talarico interview could trigger equal‑time obligations, stating that broadcasters must give comparable airtime to all qualified candidates and positioning the rule as a check on media bias[5].

Feb 19, 2026 – The FCC officially opens an investigation into “The View” for a potential equal‑time violation, confirming that the commission is reviewing the Feb 2 Talarico appearance and reiterating the January guidance that tightens obligations for talk‑show interviews[8].

Feb 19, 2026 – The YouTube posting of the Talarico interview amasses over 7 million views, and Talarico’s campaign reports a $2.5 million fundraising surge within 24 hours, demonstrating the political impact of the FCC‑driven platform shift[5][8].

Mar 3, 2026 – James Talarico leads the Democratic primary poll ahead of the Texas Senate primary, with his campaign leveraging the viral interview and fundraising boost generated by the FCC controversy[7].

May 2026 – “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is slated to conclude, marking the end of the program’s 21‑year run and potentially altering the landscape of late‑night political interviews amid ongoing equal‑time debates[7].