FCC Chair Is Not Done With CBS Despite Kamala Transcript Release: ‘Conduct Is Hard To Explain’

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr made it clear that he was not satisfied with the actions of CBS News despite the fact that the network finally released the full, unedited transcript and uncut video from then Vice President Kamala Harris’ interview with anchor Bill Whitaker.

Carr told Fox News Digital that CBS’ conduct was called into question in part because the network had been so forthcoming in releasing a similar transcript from an interview with Vice President JD Vance — but had stonewalled and delayed the release of the Harris interview for months.

“CBS’s conduct is hard to explain. On the one hand, CBS immediately released the unredacted transcript of a recent interview with Vice President Vance. Yet for months they refused to release the one with Vice President Harris,” he said.

Carr went on to explain that he intended to follow up on the possibility that CBS’ obvious edits to the interview — which the network claimed were made for the sake of brevity and clarity — amounted to News Distortion.

“The FCC has now opened up a proceeding and is seeking public comment on the News Distortion complaint. Transparency here is important. The FCC’s review will continue, and we look forward to the public’s feedback,” he added.

During a different interview earlier in the week with Fox News anchor Dana Perino, Carr had explained that to rise to the level of News Distortion, the edit had to change the content in a way that would make it appear to say something different: “The policy says you can’t swap answers out to make it look like somebody said something entirely different.”

Late last week, it was reported that CBS News was considering settling the lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump shortly after the interview aired, a move that has been criticized by a few in the media space.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper said such a settlement would amount to “hoisting a white flag of surrender,” adding, “It would be the network of Edward R Murrow at the behest of its owners, saying, ‘we will not speak truth to power. We will acquiesce to power’ at the expense of truth.'”

Jake Tapper, who has been adjudicated to be a malicious defamer, wags his finger and scolds CBS for thinking about settling Trump's lawsuit against them:
"For Paramount to settle this suit would be hoisting a white flag of surrender. It would be the network of Edward R Murrow at… pic.twitter.com/1PvYWVug6k

— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 6, 2025

Mediaite founder Dan Abrams criticized CBS for releasing the transcript after the FCC demanded it, calling that “one of the more cowardly moves” made by a media outlet.