The Federal Communications Commission has released the complete, unedited transcript of CBS News’ 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris following concerns over selective editing. The move comes after scrutiny over whether the network altered Harris’ responses in a way that misrepresented her statements.
The interview, originally aired in October 2024, became the subject of debate after former President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against CBS, accusing the network of manipulating content to favor Harris. The lawsuit, which seeks $10 billion in damages, alleges that key portions of the interview were either omitted or edited in a way that changed the context of her remarks.
CBS, in response to the criticism, provided the FCC with the unedited materials and later published them on its website. The network defended its editorial decisions, stating that all interviews are trimmed for time and clarity, maintaining that no intentional misrepresentation took place.
A review of the full transcript revealed that Harris’ responses on foreign policy and domestic economic issues were more detailed than what was shown in the final broadcast. While CBS maintains that the edits were made for brevity, critics argue that they may have influenced public perception by omitting critical context.
The FCC’s ongoing investigation will determine whether the editing violated any federal regulations concerning news distortion. Some officials have suggested that there is no clear evidence of wrongdoing, though the review remains open.
The controversy has also emerged as CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, faces an FCC review over its proposed merger with Skydance Media. The outcome of both matters could impact the network’s credibility and future regulatory standing.