962
Stephen Colbert’s unaired James Talarico interview hits 6.4 million YouTube views and results in $2.5 million raised for Talarico’s campaign in 24 hours (variety.com)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/politics@lemmy.world
111 comments fedilink hide all child comments
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 59 points 5 months ago* (3 children)

CBS got pressured by a regulatory agency (federal communications commission) to not air Talarico’s interview under some bullshit (radio and public tv broadcasts are supposed to give “equal airtime” during elections to political rivals to avoid the partisan bullshit we see with our media.)

Talarico is currently in a primary election for us senate in Texas (a primary is against other people in the same party, to decide who that parties nominee is)(his competitor, is Jasmine Crocket… who is an amazing woman, I’d be happy with either but I want Crocket.)

He’s also a pastor who’s been calling out Christian nationalism and advancing fairly progressive causes., and scaring the shit out of people that are of a Nazis persuasion.

So, CBS said they couldn’t air that segment.

So instead Colbert dumped it on YouTube.

The YT video has gotten 6.5 million views, which for perspective, they would have expected about 2 million if it aired.

So this is another example of censorship going wrong.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
    •
  • [–] 21 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    In reality, CBS is doing exactly what it wants to do, which is to be a mouthpiece for the Conservative Propaganda Machine, but they are using the FCC as a handy excuse, like it isn't their own fault.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago

    FCC chairman Brendan whatshisbut did come out and say it would violate equal time some how.

    So yes, CBS is choosing to self-censor and be that mouthpiece, but also it would have aired of Brendan didn’t say anything. At least that’s my read.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    And i guess the 2.5M$ are campaign donations that came from a link attached to the youtube video?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 19 points 5 months ago* (1 child)

    Not really?

    Here’s the interview.

    People just went and donated on their own.

    Edit: I just double checked the video is at 10 million views.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Strange, I wonder why it shows 7.5m views for me (5 hours after you saw 10m). I wonder if Youtube gives different view counts by region, which would be...interesting.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Maybe I fucked up and read subscribers? The mobile page had 10 mil where it looked like views just now, expanding the info says 7.4 mil.

    Either way it’s a fuck ton more than the 2-3 mil they’d have had if they just aired it. (Gotta be honest it’s not Talarico’s best.)

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Do I understand correctly that "equal time" in a primary would mean giving equal time to the Jasmine Crocket? Because honestly, I don't really see the downside.

    Im fact, I believe Colbert said he's interviewed her twice already.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago*

    Laws like this only work if they are uniformly enforced.

    The shell game is when the enforcement agency or parent company takes initiative during an election cycle versus when they choose not to. (top down enforcement) You can certainly complain from the bottom up and take it to court, but by the time it gets litigated the election is already over.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    Technically, yes.

    But, we’re doing the whole Nazis thing right now so it’s just a bullshit excuse.

    But she’s already been on twice (and her response to all this was basically “well I don’t mind another go…”

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent