The Buzz 02.26.26

FREE SPEECH

The Federal Communications Commission is threatening to invoke a century-old regulation to spur television shows to give time to right-leaning figures. Known as the “equal-time rule,” the provision was enacted in 1927 as Congress attempted to ensure fairness in the rise of radio programs. The rule was amended over the decades, and doesn’t apply to news interviews and documentaries. FCC chair Brendan Carr said the commission opened an investigation into The View for its interview with Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, a Democrat. Meanwhile, CBS did not air late-night host Stephen Colbert’s interview with Talarico, instead posting it online. Colbert alleged that CBS did so because it worried that it would face retribution from the FCC. Ironically, the interview netted 85 million views in just a few days, which was much more than it would have received had it been aired regularly. Fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel called Carr’s threats “a sneaky little way of keeping viewpoints that aren’t his off the air. It’s his latest attack on free speech, and it’s a joke.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Black History Month isn’t about the past. It’s about the present, too.” - Zechariah Alexander, a Monterey High School student who recited his poem at Oldemeyer Center in Seaside (see story, montereycountynow.com/news)

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

To help curb pedestrian and cyclist safety issues on Broadway Avenue in Seaside, the city is gearing up to begin its Broadway Avenue Complete Street Corridor Improvements Project. The project will reduce a 1.3-mile section of the road from Fremont Boulevard to General Jim Moore Boulevard from four lanes to two. Alongside infrastructure improvements, the project includes an educational component. On Feb. 19, the Seaside City Council approved an agreement with the Transportation Agency for Monterey County and the Monterey County Health Department for the educational programming, which is intended to promote biking and walking among elementary school children, low-income families, seniors and those working along the corridor. The grant-funded programming is slated to begin in spring 2026 alongside construction and will conclude in summer 2030.

GREAT:

A team from Greenfield High School emerged victorious in the regional Academic World Quest Competition on Feb. 14. Six teams of high school students from Monterey County participated in the competition, hosted by the World Affairs Council of the Monterey Bay Area and the Monterey County Office of Education. The students are grilled with questions on U.S. foreign policy, including tariffs and international relations. The GHS team members are Marvin Johnson, Heriberto Hernandez and Fabian Serrano, led by their coach Evangelina Mateo. “We’re proud that we got to represent Greenfield,” Hernandez said. “Coming in as a team of three, we are thrilled to have been able to win the competition.” The team will travel to Washington, D.C. in April to take part in the national competition, with funds raised by the WACMB to cover costs.