CBS Asks FCC to Dismiss ‘News Distortion’ Complaint Over ‘60 Minutes’ Harris Interview as ‘Blatant Interference With Free Speech’

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60 Minutes, owned by Paramount Global, has countered a criticism from a conservative advocacy group by arguing that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should dismiss their claim that an interview with Kamala Harris on 60 Minutes distorted the news. They assert that the complaint is based on the idea that the U.S. government has the power to act as a “moving censor.

In October, the Center for American Rights lodged a complaint against WCBS-TV, a station owned by CBS in New York, claiming they intentionally distorted news content during interviews with Harris on “Face the Nation” and “60 Minutes”. The complaint stated that there were two contradictory responses given. Meanwhile, President Trump initiated a lawsuit against CBS over the same interview, asking for $20 billion compensation and alleging breach of consumer protection laws. However, Paramount and CBS filed motions on March 6 to dismiss the lawsuit, describing it as an attack on the First Amendment rights.

In response to the Center for American Rights’ complaint on March 7, CBS argued that if their actions were deemed ‘news distortion,’ it could lead to a less open society where the federal government acts as an ever-present censor, scrutinizing and potentially penalizing editorial decisions that are fundamental to news broadcasting.

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In its response to the FCC on March 7 regarding the Center for American Rights’ complaint about ‘news distortion,’ CBS stated that such a ruling could foster a less democratic world where the federal government becomes a pervasive censor, interfering with and potentially penalizing crucial editorial decisions necessary for news programming.

In their legal submission, CBS asserted that the rights granted under the First Amendment extend to all American citizens, including themselves and their affiliated stations. They argued that when a broadcaster makes choices about what programming to air, they are engaging in protected free speech activities. If the Commission were to rule against CBS, it could lead to constant scrutiny of broadcasting decisions across various ideological viewpoints. The notion that the Commission might force broadcasters to air unedited interviews, or potentially face investigations into their editing choices, is clearly a violation of constitutional rights.

If the FCC were to consider resolving complaints about news broadcasts, CBS stated, it would find itself in a complex and difficult situation filled with challenging choices – something it has diligently avoided for the past ninety years, according to its congressional directive. This is precisely the opposite of what one might expect from improved government efficiency.

The discussion at hand pertains to FCC Media Bureau Docket Number 25-73. By Monday, a total of 8,239 documents and comments had been submitted to the commission in relation to this issue.

In their rebuttal, CBS argued that the core issue of the complaint – alleging they violated the law by only showing part, but not all, of a political candidate’s response in a news magazine program – is fundamentally incorrect. They further stated that this complaint disregards the limited nature of the Federal Communications Commission’s seldom-used and constitutionally questionable “news distortion” policy, and it asks the FCC to breach its obligations under the U.S. Constitution, as well as various statutory laws. Most significantly, the First Amendment and Section 326 of the Communications Act do not permit the substantial interference with free speech that the Complaint proposes.

In relation to the ongoing investigation at CBS, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chief Brendan Carr has supported President Trump’s assertions about media bias, while Anna Gomez expresses concerns over a potential ‘chilling effect’ and the perceived ‘weaponization’ of the agency.

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2025-03-10 18:47