Jimmy Kimmel is the lastest casualty. Trump's FCC threatened ABC, owned by Disney, that it would pull ABC's broadcasting license unless Kimmel's show was taken off the air.
These people are trampling on the First Amendment.
I think that with Kimmel, it's much more likely ABC was bending to the will of the two largest media conglomerates, Nexstar and Sinclair. I doubt Trump's threat budged the needle on the decision even a hair. Trump can easily be bought, or placated with flattery and gifts, or just wait until he finds a new shiny thing to distract him. Nextar and Sinclair on the other hand actually have a coherent set of ideological foundations and principles. Their threat had teeth and cut immediately. Trump's threat was just basic flaccid incompetent virtue signaling to his forever offended base, with a touch of bribe fishing.
Nextar's statement:
Nexstar’s owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future beginning with tonight’s show. Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.
Sinclair's statement:
Sinclair Broadcast Group will not lift the suspension of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on our stations until formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability
ETA: Sinclair owns about 36 ABC affiliates, and Nextar about 33 (according to Google's AI Overview). So, that's at least 69 ABC broadcast stations in the US that Kimmel's show had been immediately pulled from in protest. That's a gnarly ad revenue chunk.
Jimmy Kimmel is the lastest casualty. Trump's FCC threatened ABC, owned by Disney, that it would pull ABC's broadcasting license unless Kimmel's show was taken off the air.
These people are trampling on the First Amendment.
I think that with Kimmel, it's much more likely ABC was bending to the will of the two largest media conglomerates, Nexstar and Sinclair. I doubt Trump's threat budged the needle on the decision even a hair. Trump can easily be bought, or placated with flattery and gifts, or just wait until he finds a new shiny thing to distract him. Nextar and Sinclair on the other hand actually have a coherent set of ideological foundations and principles. Their threat had teeth and cut immediately. Trump's threat was just basic flaccid incompetent virtue signaling to his forever offended base, with a touch of bribe fishing.
Nextar's statement:
Nexstar’s owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future beginning with tonight’s show. Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.
Sinclair's statement:
Sinclair Broadcast Group will not lift the suspension of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on our stations until formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability
ETA: Sinclair owns about 36 ABC affiliates, and Nextar about 33 (according to Google's AI Overview). So, that's at least 69 ABC broadcast stations in the US that Kimmel's show had been immediately pulled from in protest. That's a gnarly ad revenue chunk.
That's an interesting take, Steuss. You could be right. I appreciate you taking the time to present a substantive response that makes me rethink the situation. I think it is no less troubling that Trump did use Brendan Carr to issue a threat. That said, I am familiar with Sinclair's takeover of a lot of television stations for the purpose of spreading right-wing propaganda in the form of dessicated and ineffectual "news." I don't know a whole lot about Nexstar. One thing that I think we can say about our current predicament is that the Right has cultivated a degree of corporate and oligachical influence that is running roughshod over the Constitution. Justices of the Supreme Court are in the pockets of billionaire donors. For the most part, I don't waste my time watching network or cable news, as they usually reflect the will of one corporate interest or another. The DNC and the GOP are just billionaire cudgels, pick your poison. I would love to see both parties blown to hell, as they are often just giving us what the billionaires are willing to pay for. But we really don't have any viable options outside of ineffective and reckless.
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
ETA: Sinclair owns about 36 ABC affiliates, and Nextar about 33 (according to Google's AI Overview). So, that's at least 69 ABC broadcast stations in the US that Kimmel's show had been immediately pulled from in protest. That's a gnarly ad revenue chunk.
Jus' bi'nesses.
Trump says a lot of crap. He probably says the most crap of all the shitsayers, ever. Not even a small chance that Nextar and Sinclar don't know that more than the dumbest guy ever on the most enlightened exmo forum ever.
Ban Whiskey permanently if that's the only way.
— Gadianton
Trump says a lot of crap. He probably says the most crap of all the shitsayers, ever. Not even a small chance that Nextar and Sinclar don't know that more than the dumbest guy ever on the most enlightened exmo forum ever.
Whistling past the graveyard. Just business! Just business. I hear the faint call of rattling chains. Just business!
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
Well. the first thing I will say is that I was intending to take a break from the utter lunacy, that is entirely driven by ideology, that runs rampant on this board. But, like driving by a horrific car crash, it's hard to look away.
This has nothing to do with free speech. Nothing. It has nothing to do with a joke or comedians.
It has everything to do with ABC and their broadcast license (given by the federal government via taxpayers) to broadcast in the public interest (especially on matters of public interest). This was about a malicious lie that Kimmel told his audience. The decision to remove Kimmel, whether one happens to like it or not, was entirely about the liability that ABC/Disney would face if they did not respond to the dangerous lie that Kimmel told to millions.
Kimmel can say whatever he wants - on the streets, in an interview, in a seven eleven parking lot. He just can't say whatever he wants on a federally licensed broadcasting network.
So, you would have applauded Joe Biden, if his FCC Chairman had threatened FoxNews with the removal of their broadcast license for lying incessantly about the 2020 presidential election.
MAGA: “No, not like that!”
Last edited by Doctor CamNC4Me on Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
I think that there is another twist going on here.
Remember Alex Jones and Sandy Hook? $1.5 billion dollar judgment for saying stupid crap. Very stupid crap. Like, the stupidshittest of all the crap. Folks thought this was justice. Little did they know, by the time that judgment came down, Jones was broke.
And the left cheered. Many cheered. There was no tears for the first amendment then.
Here is the funny part. It was only a matter of time before someone with a billion dollars said something equally stupid, deranged or harmful. Enter Kimmell. You don't think folks are silently pointing at Jones and saying... "I mean..... if that was 1.5 billion worth from a POS saying dumb crap, imagine what we can get from Disney and Sinclair and Kimmel"?
Last edited by Whiskey on Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ban Whiskey permanently if that's the only way.
— Gadianton
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
