As NBC Comcast and ABC continue their feud, the future of televised debates hangs in the balance. Are we headed for a world where fact-checking is considered overreach? Where candidates can say whatever they want, no matter how absurd, without fear of correction?

One thing’s clear: this is more than just a spat between two media giants. It’s a reflection of the larger battle over truth, accountability, and what role the media should play in political discourse. Should networks act as referees, calling out falsehoods when they see them? Or should they simply let the candidates duke it out without intervention, letting the viewers decide what’s real and what’s not?

In the meantime, millions of Americans are left without ABC’s programming, and NBC Comcast has drawn a line in the sand. Whether ABC will issue the apology NBC demands remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the media landscape is only going to get stranger from here.

And as for the viewers just trying to catch the next episode of Grey’s Anatomy? Well, they’re probably the ones who deserve an apology.