Feb. 5 (UPI) — The Federal Communications Commission and CBS have published the transcript of the November 60 Minutes interview of former Vice President Kamala Harris that some say was edited to make her look better.
Separately, President Donald Trump has accused 60 Minutes staff of editing Harris’ responses and in October filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News. Officials at CBS parent corporation Paramount Global are considering settling the lawsuit, which has caused consternation among CBS News employees, CNN Business reported Friday.
The Center for American Rights on Oct. 16 filed a formal complaint accusing WCBS New York network-owned affiliate of news distortion.
The FCC is investigating the matter and requested an unredacted transcript of the interview on Oct. 7 and less than a month before the Nov. 5 general election.
The FCC received the unredacted interview video and transcript of Harris’ interview as the agency investigates a news distortion complaint filed in the matter, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Republican member, said Wednesday in a post on X.
Carr said CBS did not request confidentiality or to keep the materials non-public and the FCC made them available to the general public.
“Given the value of transparency and the public interest here, the FCC is taking two actions,” Carr said.
One action is making the materials publicly available, and the other is establishing a docket to seek comment on the issues raised in the complaint to serve the public interest in the matter.
Anyone can view the video and access the transcript online.
CBS News officials on Wednesday posted online the same transcripts and corresponding interview videos that it provided to the FCC.
“They show, consistent with 60 Minutes’ repeated assurances to the public, that the 60 Minutes broadcast was not doctored or deceitful,” CBS News officials said in an online announcement.
“In reporting the news, journalists regularly edit interviews for time, space or clarity,” CBS News said. “In making these edits, 60 Minutes is always guided by the truth and what we believe will be the most informative to the viewing public — all while working within the constraints of broadcast television.”
One commissioner called the agency’s investigation a “fishing expedition” that should end.
“The transcript and footage of this interview provide no evidence that CBS and its affiliated broadcast stations violated FCC rules,” FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat representative, said Wednesday in a news release.
“I see no reason to continue pursuing this investigation,” Gomez added. “The FCC should now move to dismiss this fishing expedition to avoid further politicizing our enforcement actions.”
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