Top News:
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Experts say FCC chair Brendan Carr's threats to broadcasters violate the First Amendment and are an abuse of the FCC's power — The startling decision by ABC to pull comedian Jimmy Kimmel's show under pressure from President Trump requires a real response from Democrats.
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Atlantic, Wired, Variety, CNBC, Variety, Mediaite, Al Jazeera, CNN, TheDesk.net, NBC News, The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Romano on LinkedIn, KSLTV.com, Reason, @annabower.bsky.social, @christopherterry.bsky.social, @sccdp@sfba.social, @50501movement.bsky.social, New York Times, @ogsaigonbond.bsky.social, ABC News, The Hill, People, Rolling Stone, Inside Radio, Business Insider, RADIO ONLINE, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Deadline, The Independent and MSNBC
Discussion:
Charlie Nash / Mediaite: Kimmel Was Reportedly About to Give Controversial Monologue When He Was Suspended: ‘He Has To Take Down the Temperature’
Adam Serwer / The Atlantic: The Constitution Protects Jimmy Kimmel's Mistake
Makena Kelly / Wired: Brendan Carr Isn't Going to Stop Until Someone Makes Him
Variety: Stephen Colbert Rips ABC Pulling Jimmy Kimmel as ‘Blatant Censorship’ to Appease Trump: ‘With an Autocrat, You Cannot Give an Inch’
Michael Luciano / Mediaite: FCC Commissioner Rebukes Agency's Chair, Says 'We Don't Have the Authority' To Retaliate Against Broadcasters
Fiona Kelliher / Al Jazeera: Trump celebrates Kimmel show suspension as Democrats push free speech bill
Elizabeth Wagmeister / CNN: ABC hopes to bring Jimmy Kimmel back, but temperature needs to be taken down under FCC threats
Matthew Keys / TheDesk.net: Nexstar denies FCC scrutiny factored into pre-emption of Jimmy Kimmel's show
Zoë Richards / NBC News: Trump suggests FCC could revoke licenses of TV broadcasters that give him too much ‘bad publicity’
Carly Thomas / The Hollywood Reporter: Trump Says Broadcast Networks Should Lose Their FCC Licenses for Treating Him Unfairly
Michael Romano / Michael Romano on LinkedIn: It is hard to imagine something more corrosive to our First Amendment rights than when a presidential administration makes threats, and a major media organization immediately capitulates. …
Ilya Somin / Reason: Abolish the FCC — The Trump Administration Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) …
Christopher Terry / @christopherterry.bsky.social: I suppose it goes without saying, but maybe it does need to be said. So here I go: any station, network or industry person who had even the smallest inkling of a spine could simply tell Brendan Carr to go pound sand, and there is basically nothing he could do about it — www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/j...
@sccdp@sfba.social: The cancelling of Jimmy Kimmel by the GOP is rallying defense of Free Speech. — The ACLU is ready to go. https://www.aclu.org/... Newsom blasts ABC. Media companies are kinda forgetting how many are here in CA . . . https://www.sfchronicle.com/ ... …
@50501movement.bsky.social: Great, can't wait for this corrupt fascist running the FCC to expose the next complicit executives and give us another boycott target.
Zolan Kanno-Youngs / New York Times: Trump Pressures Broadcasters Over Critical Coverage, Escalating Attack on Speech
@ogsaigonbond.bsky.social: Trump's FCC stooge Brendan Carr stupidly continues to provide more evidence of the government's illegal & unconstitutional censorship & shakedown of media companies that Dear Leader doesn't like. — Jimmy Kimmel's probable lawsuit will have plenty of evidence for court. — www.cnbc.com/2025/09/18/j...
Al Weaver / The Hill: Democrats fume over after Kimmel suspension
Stacy Lambe / People: Donald Trump Claims Licensed Networks Are ‘Not Allowed’ to Rail on Him After ABC Halts Jimmy Kimmel Live! amid FCC Pressure
Neil Griffiths / Rolling Stone: ‘Cowardly Corporate Capitulation’: FCC Commish Blasts Trump, Disney in Kimmel Debacle
James Faris / Business Insider: Jimmy Kimmel's suspension fits squarely into the FCC's new pressure playbook
Kimberley A. Strassel / Wall Street Journal: Back to Censor Culture — Jimmy Kimmel was canceling himself until Carr crashed into the scene.
Kelcee Griffis / Bloomberg: Who Is Brendan Carr? Meet the Regulator Behind Kimmel's Removal
Ted Johnson / Deadline: Donald Trump Says Late Night Hosts' Biting Jokes Should Factor Into FCC Licensing Decisions
Alex Woodward / The Independent: Meet Trump's ‘free speech warrior’ behind Kimmel suspension — who opponents call a ‘grave threat’ to the First Amendment
RELATED:
Joey Garrison / USA Today:
President Trump says negative coverage about him by TV networks should be grounds for the FCC to revoke broadcast licenses, and “it will be up to Brendan Carr” — WASHINGTON ‒ President Donald Trump said overwhelming negative coverage about him by television networks …
Discussion:
CNBC, Politico, Deadline, Variety, Reason, The Hollywood Reporter, NDTV Profit, TMZ.com, TheDesk.net, @AnnaAnthro@mastodon.social, The Parnas Perspective, The Guardian, New York Times, Deadline, Mediaite, @gregsargent.bsky.social, @MJ@progressivecafe.social, Sydney Morning Herald, 9News, Entertainment Weekly, @robertgarcia.bsky.social, Screen Rant, @weswalser.bsky.social, NewsMax.com, @freedom.press, TV Insider, @jayrosen.bsky.social, @gregsargent.bsky.social, @SeanCasten@mastodon.social, @petermshane.bsky.social, Raw Story, @robertscotthorton.bsky.social, Axios, @mjtoma.bsky.social, The Independent, Australian Financial Review, R Street Institute, Washington Times, MSNBC, The Hill and Alternet.org
Discussion:
Dan Mangan / CNBC: Trump floats pulling licenses if networks are ‘against’ him after Jimmy Kimmel suspended
Peter White / Deadline: Jimmy Kimmel Was Set To Address Charlie Kirk Comments On ABC Tonight Before Disney Pulled His Show; Move Raises Questions Over His Late-Night Future
Stuart Benjamin / Reason: The FCC Chair's Unprecedented, and Constitutionally Problematic, Response to Jimmy Kimmel
The Hollywood Reporter: Brendan Carr Sets His Sights on ‘The View’ in Appearance on Conservative Radio Show
AnnaAnthro / @AnnaAnthro@mastodon.social: #Trump suggests pulling TV licenses after Jimmy Kimmel suspended — “I have read someplace that the networks were 97% against me, again, 97% negative, and yet I won and easily, all seven swing states,” referring to his 2024 election win. — “They give me only bad publicity, press.” …
Aaron Parnas / The Parnas Perspective: BREAKING: Trump Says Networks are not Allowed to Criticize him
The Guardian: Trump news at a glance: president threatens other TV networks amid Jimmy Kimmel fallout
Dominic Patten / Deadline: Kamala Harris Lambastes Media For “Capitulating” To Trump In Light Of Jimmy Kimmel Suspension: “Attacking Critics & Using Fear As A Weapon”
Isaac Schorr / Mediaite: Trump Floats Revoking Critics' Broadcast Licenses — Says It's Up to ‘Tough Guy’ Brendan Carr
Greg Sargent / @gregsargent.bsky.social: Anna Gomez, the lone Dem on FCC, tells me the Trump admin's pressure to oust Jimmy Kimmel violates the Communications Act, which bars censorship of broadcasters. — Gomez also says Brendan Carr is pressuring Nextar, which is waiting for FCC approval for a merger. — newrepublic.com/article/2006... …
@MJ@progressivecafe.social: So this was revenge against people who hurt his feelings about his shitty presidency and has nothing to whatever was said about Charlie Kirk, which was nothing offensive or against whatever “public interest” means to them. Got it. #Fascism — Trump suggests pulling TV licenses after Jimmy Kimmel suspended: …
Michael Koziol / Sydney Morning Herald: 'They're not allowed to do that': Trump threatens TV licences over coverage of him
Maddison Leach / 9News: Jimmy Kimmel spotted at lawyer's office as Trump's ‘tough guy’ warns this won't be ‘the last shoe to drop’
Jessica Wang / Entertainment Weekly: Donald Trump says Jimmy Kimmel was suspended from late night over ‘bad ratings’ and ‘lack of talent’
Robert Garcia / @robertgarcia.bsky.social: The Oversight Committee is launching an investigation into ABC, Sinclair, and the FCC. — We will not be intimidated and we will defend the First Amendment.
Wes Walser / @weswalser.bsky.social: This is not how our country works and it's time for a bipartisan stop to this nonsense. If Trump can't handle the criticism then he should resign. — www.usatoday.com/story/news/ p...
Michael Katz / NewsMax.com: Trump: Yank Licenses From Biased Networks
@freedom.press: “This is an unprecedented abuse of the FCC's power,” @caitlinvogus.bsky.social told @newrepublic.com. “The ‘public interest’ standard was never meant to be used as a cudgel for the government to pressure broadcasters into only saying what the president wants them to say.”
Jay Rosen / @jayrosen.bsky.social: The government is “using the public interest standard to go after anything it doesn't like” says Anna Gomez. She is the only Democratic-appointed commissioner on the three-member Federal Communications Commission. — newrepublic.com/article/2006... Orbánization has surged forward in the last 24 hours.
Greg Sargent / @gregsargent.bsky.social: Again, FCC chair Brendan Carr basically SAID THIS STRAIGHT OUT on Sean Hannity in a quote that nobody noticed: — newrepublic.com/article/2006... [embedded post]
Sean Casten / @SeanCasten@mastodon.social: This is very good from Greg Sargent. The Kimmel firing is about bribery and corruption at the FCC and the Trump WH. Kirk is just a pretext for what the author of the FCC section of Project 2025 (e.g., Carr) wanted to do all along. https://newrepublic.com/...
Peter M. Shane / @petermshane.bsky.social: In the great scheme of things, the subhead error may seem minor, but the FCC Chair is not the “boss” of the other commissioners. Perhaps civics education could start with news media? Trump's Ouster of Jimmy Kimmel Is Much Worse Than You Think It Is newrepublic.com/article/2006... via @newrepublic.com
Nicole Charky-Chami / Raw Story: ‘I get 97% negative!’ Trump uncorks big threat for broadcasters over critical coverage
Scott Horton / @robertscotthorton.bsky.social: This is pure fascism: During FCC chair Brendan Carr's full interview on Hannity, Carr basically said straight out that coverage of Trump he deems overly hostile can be decreed contrary to the “public interest,” and thus grounds for yanking licenses. This is not what “public interest” means.
Andrew Pantazi / Axios: Trump suggests pulling TV licenses from critics
Michael Tomasky / @mjtoma.bsky.social: And now, @gregsargent.bsky.social quotes the lone Dem FCC commish as suggesting that Chair Brendan Carr's action may have been illegal. newrepublic.com/article/2006... via @newrepublic.com
Josh Marcus / The Independent: ‘All they do is hit Trump’: President suggests networks should have licenses ‘taken away’ for being too critical
Spence Purnell / R Street Institute: Trump administration engaged in anti-free speech jawboning amid Kimmel cancellation
Jeff Mordock / Washington Times: Trump says networks could lose federal broadcast licenses for criticizing him too much
Steve Benen / MSNBC: ‘Not allowed’: Trump makes ridiculous new claims about media critics and the free press
Zack Beauchamp / Vox:
Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air because the Trump administration didn't like what he had to say and threatened his employers until they shut him up — Let's be clear about what just happened: Jimmy Kimmel, a prominent late-night comedian, was just taken off the airwaves …
Discussion:
CNN, @barackobama, The Guardian, Washington Post, Associated Press, CNN, Washington Post, Deadline, Daniel Barr on LinkedIn, @barackobama, Vox, Rolling Stone, Writers Guild America West, New York Times, Axios, PolitiFact, The Hill, Fortune, New Jersey Online, Entertainment Weekly, Raw Story, al.com, @gemslawrence.bsky.social, Forbes, Jim Berkman on LinkedIn, @aaronblake, CBS News, @bariweiss, @gabbygiffords@threads.com, @zackbeauchamp, Politico, TheGrio, TMZ.com, @aswinn@threads.com, Townhall, The Gateway Pundit, Fox Business, San Francisco Chronicle, @philipaklein, Techdirt, National Review, @froomkin.bsky.social, Ars Technica, Daily Kos, @mrjoncryer@threads.com, Washington Examiner, @danprimack, @bulwarkonline@threads.com, @kylascan, Reason, Slate, Mediaite, twitchy.com, StyleCaster, @dkthomp, @jscalzi@threads.com, The Federalist, @govpritzker.illinois.gov, Salon, The Free Press, @agomezfcc.bsky.social, TVLine, @unavaleable.bsky.social, The Cut, @eliasisquith.blog, masslive.com, @RunRichRun@mastodon.social and r/Journalism
Discussion:
Brian Stelter / CNN: How Brendan Carr, the attack-dog FCC chair, helped take down Jimmy Kimmel with words, not actions
Barack Obama / @barackobama: After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like. https://www.yahoo.com/...
The Guardian: Late-night show hosts decry suspension of Kimmel's show: ‘Blatant assault on freedom of speech’
Lili Loofbourow / Washington Post: Kimmel's suspension confirms what many suspected after Colbert's cancellation
David Bauder / Associated Press: Kimmel's future hangs in balance after ABC suspends his late-night show over Charlie Kirk comments
Brian Stelter / CNN: Trump's anti-media blitz that led to Kimmel's suspension is straight from a European strongman's playbook
Peter White / Deadline: Jon Stewart Is “Patriotically Obedient” As ‘The Daily Show’ Pays Tribute To “Dear Leader” Following Kimmel Suspension
Daniel Barr / Daniel Barr on LinkedIn: Today seems like a good day to reflect upon Justice Louis Brandeis' famous dissent in Whitney v California, in which he addressed the government's efforts to punish unpopular speech. …
Barack Obama / @barackobama: This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent — and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating to it. https://www.nytimes.com/...
Cameron Peters / Vox: Trump's brazen attack on free speech
Tomás Mier / Rolling Stone: Kamala Harris Blasts Trump Admin's ‘Assault on Free Speech’ After Kimmel Suspension
Cecilia Kang / New York Times: Who Is Brendan Carr of the F.C.C.?
Josephine Walker / Axios: Obama calls Jimmy Kimmel suspension “government coercion”
PolitiFact: ABC indefinitely suspended its late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel, after Federal Communications Chairman Brendan Carr criticized Kimmel's comments.
Dominick Mastrangelo / The Hill: Kimmel's chances of returning to ABC post look increasingly slim
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez / Fortune: President Obama accuses the Trump administration of ‘government coercion’ after ABC takes Jimmy Kimmel off the air
Lauren Sforza / New Jersey Online: Obama issues dire warning after ABC yanks Jimmy Kimmel off the air: ‘A new and dangerous level’
Mekishana Pierre / Entertainment Weekly: Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof defends Jimmy Kimmel after ABC suspension, threatens not to work with company
Tom Boggioni / Raw Story: Barack Obama levels Trump admin over its ‘new and dangerous level’ of coercion
Howard Koplowitz / al.com: Obama blasts Trump for taking cancel culture to ‘dangerous level’ after Jimmy Kimmel suspension
Gemma / @gemslawrence.bsky.social: “This is what it looks like when a society's elite rolls over in the face of Authoritarianism. It never ends well.” — www.yahoo.com/news/article...
Alison Durkee / Forbes: Legal Experts Accuse Trump Administration Of Unconstitutionally Influencing Kimmel Suspension—Here's Why
Jim Berkman / Jim Berkman on LinkedIn: Trump has weaponized the FCC regulatory system in a way that has never happened before. Comments made by Kimmel - and before him Colbert …
Aaron Blake / @aaronblake: Some relevant Supreme Court decisions in re: FCC and Kimmel 2024: “Government officials cannot attempt to coerce private parties in order to punish or suppress views that the government disfavors.” 1963: A government entity cannot wield the “threat of invoking legal sanctions
Kathryn Watson / CBS News: Trump says TV networks covering him negatively should “maybe” have their licenses revoked
Bari Weiss / @bariweiss: For those on the right who might like what they're seeing from this FCC: Remember that Democrats will wield this power again. https://www.thefp.com/...
Gabby Giffords / @gabbygiffords@threads.com: Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are big parts of what made this country great. The government threatening TV stations because our president doesn't like a comedian is dangerous. I'm proud to stand with my friend @JimmyKimmel.
Zack Beauchamp / @zackbeauchamp: We should be very clear on the sequence of events and economic interests at work here. Trump weaponized regulatory powers to do punish protected speech from one of his most hated critics [image]
Gregory Svirnovskiy / Politico: Obama scolds media companies: Get a spine
Gerren Keith Gaynor / TheGrio: Barack Obama, Jasmine Crockett, others call out Trump administration after Jimmy Kimmel suspension
Allison Winn / @aswinn@threads.com: If you are shrugging off Kimmel, or worse, celebrating it, you have no understanding of how far this can go. If the administration doesn't like an author's books, they can demand their publisher drop them. If they don't like someone's social media, they can demand their employer fire them. …
Amy Curtis / Townhall: FCC Chair Brendan Carr Defends Kimmel Suspension As a Sign of Shift in ‘Media Ecosystem’
Cristina Laila / The Gateway Pundit: Barack Obama Lashes Out at Trump Administration After ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel's Show
Joe Garofoli / San Francisco Chronicle: With Jimmy Kimmel's firing, cancel culture is now official government policy
Philip Klein / @philipaklein: ABC and its affiliates may have pulled the trigger, but they did so with FCC guns pointed at their own heads if they did not. My take: “The Government Shouldn't Police Jimmy Kimmel's Lies” https://www.nationalreview.com/ ...
Karl Bode / Techdirt: Jimmy Kimmel's Firing Comes As Feckless TV Networks Lobby Trump To Destroy Remaining Media Consolidation Limits
Philip Klein / National Review: The Government Shouldn't Police Jimmy Kimmel's Lies
@froomkin.bsky.social: The @apnews.com is carrying Trump's water by continuing to pretend that ABC suspended Kimmel because of his comments about Charlie Kirk, rather than because the FCC threatened retaliation. C'mon @dbauder.bsky.social you know better. — apnews.com/article/jimm...
Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica: FCC derided as “Federal Censorship Commission” after pushing Jimmy Kimmel off ABC
Jon Cryer / @mrjoncryer@threads.com: This is a lie. Jimmy Kimmel said nothing disparaging about Charlie Kirk.
Barnini Chakraborty / Washington Examiner: Kimmel suspension showcases ‘enormous influence’ of Sinclair and Nexstar
Dan Primack / @danprimack: fwiw, Kimmel ratings were #1 in the demo for Q2 at 11:30pm. #2 overall (behind Colbert, ahead of Fallon). https://latenighter.com/...
@bulwarkonline@threads.com: Trump: “Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk...They should have fired him a long time ago.”
Kyla Scanlon / @kylascan: @TheEtiologist It wasn't really about what he said
Mark Joseph Stern / Slate: No, the Supreme Court Did Not Give Trump a License to Silence Jimmy Kimmel
Isaac Schorr / Mediaite: Barack Obama Denounces ‘Dangerous’ Jimmy Kimmel Suspension: ‘Media Companies Need to Start Standing Up’ to Trump
Sam J. / twitchy.com: HOOBOY! S.E. Cupp Claims the Trump Admin Is KILLING Free Speech and Greg Gutfeld Ain't Havin' NONE Of It
Lea Veloso / StyleCaster: Obama Just Called Out Trump's ‘Dangerous’ Response to Jimmy Kimmel's Show Getting Pulled as His True Feelings Toward the President Are Revealed
Derek Thompson / @dkthomp: The Biden administration working with social media companies to throttle what they considered COVID misinformation might or might not have been legally principled, but it did at least pretend to have a substantive moral argument that was something like, “We don't want people to
John Scalzi / @jscalzi@threads.com: So Colbert got cancelled probably in part due to a pending merger of Skydance and Paramount, and the Kimmel thing almost certainly happened because one of ABC's largest affiliates, Sinclair, is trying to merge with another large media company, and in both cases FCC approval is key …
Brianna Lyman / The Federalist: 6 Times Leftists Melting Down Over Jimmy Kimmel Were Happy To Deny Conservatives ‘Free Speech’
Governor JB Pritzker / @govpritzker.illinois.gov: This is the playbook, folks. — If you're not paying attention now and doing something about it, then you're going to have to sit down the rest of your life because democracy is being taken away. — Do not be quiet in this moment.
Garrett Owen / Salon: Democrats defend Kimmel, say FCC chair “disgraced” his office
@agomezfcc.bsky.social: This FCC does not have the authority, the ability, or the constitutional right to police content or punish broadcasters for speech the government dislikes. — Free speech is the foundation of our democracy, and we must push back against any attempt to erode it. [image]
Claire Franken / TVLine: Barack Obama Responds to Jimmy Kimmel Live! Preemption, Calls It a ‘New and Dangerous’ Escalation of Cancel Culture
@unavaleable.bsky.social: I think Obama very clearly wants to be a party elder on Mount Olympus, keeping his powder dry so when he hurls down a thunderbolt it has the most impact/salience but not exactly surprised to see that strategy crumble if other party leaders aren't pulling their weight [embedded post]
Julia Reinstein / The Cut: Jimmy Kimmel Has Been Suspended ‘Indefinitely’ Following Charlie Kirk Comments
Elias Isquith / @eliasisquith.blog: just speculation on my part but i suspect obama would not be making so many public comments about current politics if he thought the other leaders of the party were doing a good job on their own
Deadline:
Nexstar and Sinclair, who said they'd preempt Kimmel, are lobbying the FCC over regulatory issues; Nexstar needs FCC approval for its $6.2B Tegna acquisition — Their announcements on Wednesday come amid the furor over host's comments about the suspect in Charlie Kirk's assassination …
Discussion:
Australian Financial Review, Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter, Newsbusters, Politico, Los Angeles Times, Daily Mail, HuffPost, Zeteo, RADAR, Dallas Morning News, New York Magazine, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Variety, Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Cosmopolitan, Alternet.org, @brianstelter, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, Jacobin, Meidas+, TheDesk.net, New York Post, TV Tech, Adweek, them., The Free Press, The Wrap, RedState, Reason, Winnipeg Free Press, Raw Story, Bloomberg, Fortune, People, Daily Caller News Foundation, San Francisco Chronicle, Blaze Media, Washington Examiner, Bossip, Page Six, IJR, WJBK-TV, LGBTQ Nation, New Republic, New Jersey Online, @robinjp.bsky.social, Deadline, The Post Millennial, NewsMax.com, The Independent, Daily News, Mediaite, @gbsohn.bsky.social, HotAir, Krassencast, New York Post, al.com, The Week, Townhall, @lulu.sheshed.rocks, @kwcollins.bsky.social, New York Times and TheDesk.net
Discussion:
Wesley Stenzel / Entertainment Weekly: ABC affiliate group Sinclair demands Jimmy Kimmel stay off the air until he apologizes, pays Charlie Kirk's family
The Hollywood Reporter: How Jimmy Kimmel Might Have Just Been Sacrificed for a Multibillion-Dollar TV Deal
Elena Schneider / Politico: Post-Kimmel, Dems could change the cancel culture narrative
Los Angeles Times: Who exactly are the ABC affiliate owners who issued statements against Jimmy Kimmel?
Will Potter / Daily Mail: Jimmy Kimmel Live! to be replaced by Charlie Kirk tribute show - and star won't be allowed back on air unless he makes Turning Point USA donation
Marco Margaritoff / HuffPost: JD Vance Roasted By Social Media Critics For Resurfaced Vow To Defend Free Speech
Prem Thakker / Zeteo: Trump FCC Chair Who Demanded Jimmy Kimmel Suspension Once Slammed Censoring ‘Late-Night Comedians’
Bryan Brunati / RADAR: Jimmy Kimmel Will Have to Apologize and Pay Charlie Kirk's Family to Save Late-night Show... as Trump and His Cronies Accused Of Acting like the ‘Mafia’
Dallas Morning News: Who is Nexstar, the D-FW company at the center of the Jimmy Kimmel controversy?
Matt Stieb / New York Magazine: Nexstar Led the Charge Against Jimmy Kimmel. They Had a Business Motive.
Chicago Tribune: What are Nexstar and Sinclair, the ABC affiliate owners who issued statements against Jimmy Kimmel
Anna Kaufman / USA Today: Sinclair Broadcast Group demands apology from Jimmy Kimmel
Cynthia Littleton / Variety: ABC Affiliate Stations Told ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Will Be Off at Least Through Thursday, Replaced by ‘Celebrity Family Feud’
Olivia Truffaut-Wong / Cosmopolitan: Barack Obama, Jean Smart, and More Celebs React to Jimmy Kimmel's Shocking Suspension
David Badash / Alternet.org: Trump's FCC chair thinks TV stations should ‘get to decide what the American people think’
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: KEY to the story about ABC suspending Kimmel's show: Nexstar and Sinclair, two big owners of ABC-affiliated stations, both need FCC approval for pending deals. With a lot of $$ on the line, both have reason to curry favor with the Trump admin. Both decided to yank Kimmel's show. [video]
Mike LaChance / Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion: Mark Halperin on Kimmel Cancellation: ‘A Watershed Moment, Conservatives Watch TV Too’
Branko Marcetic / Jacobin: Jimmy Kimmel's Cancellation Is Peak Hypocrisy
Ron Filipkowski / Meidas+: Today in Politics, Bulletin 209. 9/18/25
Ryan Gaydos / New York Post: Ex-ESPN star Keith Olbermann suggests Charlie Kirk burning ‘in hell’ in shocking rant after ABC's Kimmel decision
George Winslow / TV Tech: Sinclair Says Kimmel Suspension is Not Enough; The Largest Owner of ABC Affiliates Calls on FCC and ABC to Take Additional Action
Nick Gillespie / The Free Press: Abolish the FCC — Trump isn't the first one to use the agency to punish critics.
Raquel ‘Rocky’ Harris / The Wrap: Ben Shapiro Admits Trump's Influence on Jimmy Kimmel's ABC Suspension Poses an ‘Interesting Question’ | Video
Nick Arama / RedState: Sinclair Delivers Big Statement on Kimmel Suspension With What They'll Be Airing in His Slot Instead
Eugene Volokh / Reason: Jimmy Kimmel, the NRA, and the First Amendment
Winnipeg Free Press: Who are Nexstar and Sinclair, the ABC affiliate owners who issued statements against Jimmy Kimmel
Felix Gillette / Bloomberg: Trump's War on Late Night Rallies Opposition
Fortune: Jimmy Kimmel's canned show will be replaced by a Charlie Kirk tribute — and an angry ABC affiliate is demanding a donation to Turning Point USA
Carson Blackwelder / People: Jimmy Kimmel Asked to Apologize and Pay Charlie Kirk's Family if He Wants Suspension Lifted by Nation's Largest ABC Affiliate
Harold Hutchison / Daily Caller News Foundation: Geraldo Rivera Says Jimmy Kimmel Owes Charlie Kirk's Family An ‘Apology’ For Comments That Got Him Booted
Aidin Vaziri / San Francisco Chronicle: ABC affiliates demand Jimmy Kimmel apologize, donate to Charlie Kirk's family
Cooper Williamson / Blaze Media: The forces behind the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel
Adisa Hargett-Robinson / Washington Examiner: Kimmel's exit reflects collapse of politicized late-night TV: Joe Concha
Jason Lee / Bossip: Cancel Culture: Jimmy Kimmel Live! Off Air Indefinitely Over Charlie Kirk Comments, Sinclair Demands Apology And TPUSA Donation
Eileen Reslen / Page Six: Jimmy Kimmel told to apologize to Charlie Kirk's family, make donation to lift ABC on-air suspension — but he refused
Scott Wolchek / WJBK-TV: Jimmy Kimmel cancelation sparks free speech debate
Greg Owen / LGBTQ Nation: Sinclair Broadcasting is trying to force Jimmy Kimmel to donate to anti-LGBTQ+ organization
Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling / New Republic: Trump Celebrates Censorship by Mocking Jimmy Kimmel
Sara Donnellan / New Jersey Online: What did Jimmy Kimmel say about Charlie Kirk before his indefinite suspension?
Ted Johnson / Deadline: Top Oversight Democrat Says He's Launching Investigation Of Trump Administration, ABC And Sinclair Over Jimmy Kimmel Suspension
Thomas Stevenson / The Post Millennial: ABC stations will air Charlie Kirk memorial tribute in place of Jimmy Kimmel Live on Friday
James Morley III / NewsMax.com: Sen. Schumer Urges Kimmel: ‘Go to Court’ Over Suspension
Paul Farrell / The Independent: What is Sinclair Broadcasting? The conservative company demanding apology from Jimmy Kimmel over Charlie Kirk
Daily News: Kimmel's future hangs in balance after ABC suspends his late-night show over Charlie Kirk comments
Isaac Schorr / Mediaite: Media Giant Praises Trump's FCC Chair Over Kimmel Threats, Says Suspension Doesn't Go Far Enough
Gigi Sohn / @gbsohn.bsky.social: Disney's suspension of Jimmy Kimmel is what happens when the government allows decades of media and tech consolidation. When control of media and tech are in the hands of a handful of companies, it becomes easier for authoritarian leaders to control them. deadline.com/2025/09/nexs...
Ed Morrissey / HotAir: TBT Karma: Kimmel Celebrates Tucker's Firing
Charles Gasparino / New York Post: Here's the real reason ABC has suspended ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
Howard Koplowitz / al.com: Nation's largest ABC affiliate owner to air 1-hour Charlie Kirk tribute in Jimmy Kimmel's timeslot
Leah Barkoukis / Townhall: Is This the Most Vile Reaction to Kimmel Getting Pulled Off Air?
George Winslow / TV Tech:
The FCC's Anna Gomez, the commission's lone Democrat, calls ABC's decision to take Jimmy Kimmel off the air a “cowardly corporate capitulation” to FCC threats
Discussion:
The Guardian, Common Dreams, Washington Times, Mirror, FemaleFirst, Business Insider, Esquire, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, UPI, Raw Story, Daily Kos, Newsbusters, Business Insider, What The Fuck …, Reuters, NCS | NewscastStudio, Deadline, Daily Mail, Magnolia Tribune, Benzinga, RedState, Media Matters for America, @agomezfcc.bsky.social, @agomezfcc.bsky.social, @agomezfcc.bsky.social, @agomezfcc.bsky.social, The Hill, RUMBLE, NewsMax.com, PoliticusUSA and Bloomberg
Discussion:
Joseph Gedeon / The Guardian: House Democrats call for FCC chair to quit over Jimmy Kimmel suspension
Julia Conley / Common Dreams: ‘Red Alert Moment’ for Free Speech as ABC Cowers to Trump FCC and Cancels Kimmel
Valerie Richardson / Washington Times: Conservatives hoot as leftists launch Disney boycott for yanking Jimmy Kimmel
Feeds-Bang / FemaleFirst: Jimmy Kimmel ‘furious’ over show axing
Business Insider: ‘The View’ is known for covering hot topics. Jimmy Kimmel's suspension wasn't one of them.
Josh Rosenberg / Esquire: Everything We Know About Why Jimmy Kimmel Was Taken Off the Air
Rick Porter / The Hollywood Reporter: ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Suspension Echoes an Earlier ABC Late Night Controversy
Hannah Dailey / Billboard: Margo Price Is Glad She Got the ‘Last Word’ With Anti-Fascist Song on ‘Kimmel’ Before Suspension
Danielle Haynes / UPI: Trump says Kimmel pulled over ratings; Dems seek FCC head resignation
Sarah K. Burris / Raw Story: Big potential update about Disney and Jimmy Kimmel's future revealed on MSNBC
Curtis Houck / Newsbusters: Networks Mourn Jimmy Kimmel Suspension, ABC Falsely Claims FCC Canned Him
Brent D. Griffiths / Business Insider: FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez blasts ABC's suspension of Jimmy Kimmel
Matt Kiser / What The Fuck Just Happened Today?: Day 1703: “We're not done yet.” — Today in one sentence: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened …
NCS | NewscastStudio: ABC suspends production of ‘Kimmel’ over Kirk comments: Here's what's happened
Deadline: Government Threats Against Jimmy Kimmel Are “Truly Empty”, Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez Says
Phillip Nieto / Daily Mail: Obama attacks Trump after his good friend Jimmy Kimmel was taken off air
Russ Latino / Magnolia Tribune: Kimmel's “the FCC won't let me be” moment
Chris Katje / Benzinga: Jimmy Kimmel Suspension Fallout: Cancel Disney+ Searches Soar, Will Comcast Win With Fallon?
@agomezfcc.bsky.social: When corporations surrender in the face of that pressure, they endanger not just themselves, but the right to free expression for everyone in this country. — The duty to defend the First Amendment does not rest with government, but with all of us.
@agomezfcc.bsky.social: First, an ABC reporter was told that his coverage amounted to hate speech and he should be prosecuted simply for doing his job. — Then, the FCC threatened to go after this same network, seizing on a late-night comedian's inopportune joke as a pretext to punish speech it disliked.
@agomezfcc.bsky.social: But even the threat to revoke a license is no small matter. It poses an existential risk to a broadcaster, which by definition cannot exist without its license. — That makes billion-dollar companies with pending business before the agency all the more vulnerable to pressure.
@agomezfcc.bsky.social: That led to a shameful show of cowardly corporate capitulation by ABC that has put the foundation of the First Amendment in danger. — We cannot allow an inexcusable act of political violence to be twisted into a justification for government censorship and control.
Charlie McCarthy / NewsMax.com: FCC Chair Carr: Kimmel ‘Appeared to Directly Mislead’ Viewers
Sean James / Mediaite:
Brendan Carr says the FCC may need to pursue “remedies” against Jimmy Kimmel, if ABC doesn't discipline him, for implying Charlie Kirk's killer was a MAGA fan
Discussion:
@bennyjohnson, CNN, Politico, Variety, Deadline, Alternet.org, The Hollywood Reporter, RADAR, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine, Chicago Tribune, The Hill, NewsMax.com, Raw Story, PoliticusUSA, Daily Mail, All Rise News, Bloomberg, Esquire, Baller Alert, Breitbart, New York Post, Barrett Media, Vibe, Us Weekly, New Republic, The Bulwark, The Dean's Report, Rolling Stone, @mckaycoppins, @tedstew, @bulwarkonline, @billwalter.bsky.social, @scottnover, @mattyglesias, @jeremymbarr, @thebluenami.is.democrat, @trumpsatwit.bsky.social, @mikesacks.bsky.social, Arizona Republic, @thepurplebauer.bsky.social, @hedylamarr1987.bsky.social, @laterdays.bsky.social, @darrenzone.bsky.social, @justinbaragona.bsky.social, The Daily Beast and @deanobeidallah.bsky.social
Discussion:
Benny Johnson / @bennyjohnson: BREAKING: The FCC Chairman is threatening immediate action against Jimmy Kimmel, ABC, and Disney for deliberately misleading the public by claiming Charlie Kirk's assassin was a MAGA Conservative. Chairman Brendan Carr calls Kimmel's malicious lies are “truly sick” and says they [video]
Liam Reilly / CNN: FCC chair threatens ABC and Disney over Jimmy Kimmel's remarks about Charlie Kirk
Gene Maddaus / Variety: FCC Chairman Threatens ABC Over Jimmy Kimmel's Remarks About Charlie Kirk's Killer
Ted Johnson / Deadline: Democratic Leaders Blast Media Companies For “Act of Cowardice” In Pulling Jimmy Kimmel, Call For FCC Chair To Resign: “This Will Not Be Forgotten”
Carl Gibson / Alternet.org: MAGA sent death threats to Disney employees after FCC chair's remark about Kimmel: report
Haley Gunn / RADAR: Trump's Enemies Fire Back: Barack Obama and Gavin Newsom Slam ABC's Decision to Pull Jimmy Kimmel's Show Over Late-night Host's Comments About Charlie Kirk Assassination
Chicago Tribune: That was a lousy bit, Jimmy Kimmel. But there's no role here for government intervention.
Max Rego / The Hill: Who is FCC Chair Brendan Carr?
James Morley III / NewsMax.com: ‘Get a Lawyer,’ Rep. Swalwell Warns FCC Chair Carr
Sarah K. Burris / Raw Story: 'That's not what he said!' CNN anchor flattens MAGA lawmaker trying to spin Kimmel remarks
Jason Easley / PoliticusUSA: Rep. Eric Swalwell Makes It Clear That Payback Is Coming For What Happened To Jimmy Kimmel
Elina Shirazi / Daily Mail: Brendan Carr is the face of MAGA's media makeover but insiders reveal another less known force
Adam Klasfeld / All Rise News: Kimmel censorship: Free speech group denounces scheme to ‘extort’ ABC
Charles P. Pierce / Esquire: Jimmy Kimmel's Removal Has Sent Us Back to Cold-War-Era Censorship
Poligirlsayswhat / Baller Alert: FCC Chair Brendan Carr Questions Whether ABC's The View Should Face Review, Targeting Show Over Criticism of Trump
Hannah Knudsen / Breitbart: Obama Whines About ‘Cancel Culture’ over Jimmy Kimmel: Trump Has ‘Taken It to a New and Dangerous Level’
Taylor Herzlich / New York Post: Trump suggests revoking TV licenses from networks ‘against’ him after Jimmy Kimmel pulled off air
Armon Sadler / Vibe: Barack Obama On Jimmy Kimmel Being Pulled Off Air: “Media Companies Need To Start Standing Up”
Miranda Siwak / Us Weekly: ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Pulled From ABC ‘Indefinitely’ Over Charlie Kirk Comments: Everything to Know
Malcolm Ferguson / New Republic: FCC Chair Takes Victory Lap After Muzzling Kimmel
Dean Obeidallah / The Dean's Report: Kimmel wasn't suspended for a joke about Kirk-he was suspended for mocking Trump.
Joseph Hudak / Rolling Stone: Was This Jimmy Kimmel's Last Ever Musical Guest?
McKay Coppins / @mckaycoppins: A lot of the people currently mocking government-censorship concerns about the Kimmel suspension seem genuinely to have missed that the FCC Chair straightforwardly threatened ABC over his monologue: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” [image]
Ted Johnson / @tedstew: The FCC really has no authority to sanction ABC or stations over what Kimmel said. Its own website reminds that it has limited authority when it comes to programming. But companies have to be willing to defend their First Amendment rights.
@bulwarkonline: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr: “There's actions we can take on licensed broadcasters. It's long past the time that...Comcast and Disney say 'We're not gonna run Kimmel anymore...because we licensed broadcasters are running the possibly of fines or licensed revocation from the FCC.'” [video]
Bill Walter / @billwalter.bsky.social: The irony is that any media company that won't defend itself and the first amendment is the type of company that does not deserve to hold a broadcasting license in the United States of America. — variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Scott Nover / @scottnover: This is like the 12th time Carr has said he's going to take away a broadcast license. (I do think he'll eventually try.)
Matthew Yglesias / @mattyglesias: Nonstop attacks on free speech from this administration
Jeremy Barr / @jeremymbarr: FCC chairman Brendan Carr also recently took issue with ABC for an episode of “The View,” using very similar language about potential consequences https://www.mediaite.com/...
@thebluenami.is.democrat: F*&K BRENDAN CARR & the bullsh*t surrounding jimmy kimmel — the only thing kimmel said was that kirk's alleged shooter was ‘one of them’. he's being cancelled for simply telling the truth - b/c it doesn't fit the narrative 🍊 wants... ALL they have are LIES — variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Robin / @trumpsatwit.bsky.social: It was the Fat donnie's FCC boss Brendan Carr that threatened ABC over Kimmel's comment. The comment was nothing a big zero but, no such thing as Free Speech in a Private Company. Sickening! 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡
Mike Sacks / @mikesacks.bsky.social: We can see the legal hair-splitting now from Carr just based on how he answered a question about online trolls celebrating Kirk's death (grabs 1 & 2) compared to his comments on Kimmel's monologue (grabs 3 & 4) — www.politico.com/news/2025/09... variety.com/2025/tv/news... [images]
Bill Goodykoontz / Arizona Republic: Why the FCC chairman's threats against Jimmy Kimmel are blood-chilling
Mark Bauer / @thepurplebauer.bsky.social: Outright censorship by the Trump fascist regime. Subsequent to this article, Kimmel was removed from TV.
@hedylamarr1987.bsky.social: Seriously?? @lawrenceodonnell.msnbc.com What thin skin trump has ESPECIALLY when the kid grew up in a family that have been trump supporters from day one! That's almost 1/2 his life! And this stooge wouldn't be saying it if trump or Russell Vought didn't approve! — www.mediaite.com/media/news/ j...
@laterdays.bsky.social: Free speech is a fundamental right that has been protected by the Supreme Court for decades. [embedded post]
@darrenzone.bsky.social: Bob Iger needs to do something & clearly the $15 million bribery isn't working, besides if they want KXTV, WTNH, WOI, WGNO, WNEP, WHTM, WATN, WATE, KVUE & WVEC into ABC O&Os well tell the FCC to shut & focus on stopping the big tech invasion. Local ABC stations on Disney+ must be launch soon enough. …
Justin Baragona / @justinbaragona.bsky.social: The administration is absolutely going to try to force ABC/Disney to fire Jimmy Kimmel. — www.mediaite.com/media/news/ j...
Dean Obeidallah / @deanobeidallah.bsky.social: JUST IN: Trump FCC Chair Threatens ABC With Punishment Over Jimmy Kimmel's Charlie Kirk Comments. You are only permitted to say things about Kirk that are pre-approved by Trump regime. Any deviation will result in Trump punishment (But pls dont call Trump fascist) www.mediaite.com/media/news/ j...
Ted Johnson / Deadline:
President Trump applauded ABC's move to take Jimmy Kimmel's show off the air and urged NBC to do the same to Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers
Discussion:
@realDonaldTrump …, @brianstelter, @gavinnewsom, LateNighter, People, USA Today, TheDesk.net, StyleCaster, twitchy.com, Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, Pied Type, The Hollywood Gossip, Us Weekly, The Wrap, Variety, New York Post, @ryangrim, @matthewkeyslive, @sherman4949, @wearesinclair, @djtweets, @servingcapreal, @nc_governor, @jason_kint, @eatmekrugman, @nicoperrino, @bonchieredstate, @mattzeitlin, @nicoperrino, @nicoperrino, @outfrontcnn, @rapidresponse47, The Hollywood Reporter, @chercheurjuteux.com, @stardustbluepr.com, The Verge, @thedadbriefs@threads.com, @thedadbriefs@threads.com, @bcappelbaum.bsky.social, @ndhapple.bsky.social, @kenwhite.bsky.social, @adambvary.bsky.social, @bencollins.bsky.social, @phillewis.bsky.social, @acyn.bsky.social, @sahara-stevens.bsky.social, @chrismurphyct.bsky.social, Variety and @jackmirkinson.bsky.social
Discussion:
Donald J. Trump / @realDonaldTrump@truthsocial.com: Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that's possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. …
Brian Stelter / @brianstelter: I asked FCC chair @BrendanCarrFCC if he had any new comment now that ABC has pulled Jimmy Kimmel's show, and he sent me this GIF [image]
Gavin Newsom / @gavinnewsom: Buying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren't coincidences. It's coordinated. And it's dangerous. The @GOP does not believe in free speech. They are censoring you in real time.
Jed Rosenzweig / LateNighter: Jimmy Fallon Breaks Silence on Kimmel: ‘I Hope He Comes Back’
People: Seth Meyers Comments on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Being Pulled: ‘We Must All Stand Up for the Principles of Free Expression’
Anna Kaufman / USA Today: After Kimmel suspension, Trump sets sights on Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers: ‘Do It NBC!’
Lea Veloso / StyleCaster: Seth Meyers' Comments About Owing Trump an ‘Apology’ Resurface After the President Threatened to Cancel His ‘Horrible’ Show Following Jimmy Kimmel's Suspension
Doug P. / twitchy.com: Dana Loesch Asks Brendan Carr About Kimmel, Trump and the FCC (DOWN Go More Dem Narratives)
Marcos Bretón / Santa Rosa Press-Democrat: Breton: In yanking Jimmy Kimmel, ABC crossed a dangerous line
Tyler Johnson / The Hollywood Gossip: Jimmy Fallon Abruptly Cancels Gig Following Kimmel Firing; ‘The View’ Stars ...
Ryan Hudgins / Us Weekly: Jimmy Fallon Drops Out of NYC Conference Hours After Jimmy Kimmel Show Suspension
Lucas Manfredi / The Wrap: NBC's Jimmy Fallon Backs Out of Fast Company Innovation Festival as ABC Pulls Kimmel Indefinitely
Todd Spangler / Variety: Jimmy Kimmel Expressed Hope That if Trump Came After Him, Those on the Right ‘Will Support My Right’ to Free Speech — but the Opposite Has Happened
Ariel Zilber / New York Post: Fallon abruptly cancels an appearance — hours after Kimmel's show is yanked
Ryan Grim / @ryangrim: Comedy police blowing the whistle. Thank you for your service. There was a brief reign of comedy lawlessness — everything was fair game after Trump won — but thankfully the FCC is putting the lid back on. But the FCC is not enough. We clearly need a Ministry of Comedic Truth
Matthew Keys / @matthewkeyslive: The Kimmel monologue from Monday had 1.4 million views on YouTube before ABC put his show on hiatus. As of now, that number has doubled to 2.89 million views. https://www.youtube.com/...
Alex Sherman / @sherman4949: Assuming Kimmel returns to his show as planned and intended, his opening monologue is going to be watched by and dissected by a lot of people. He's had a good relationship with Disney for many years.
@wearesinclair: Due to problematic comments regarding the murder of Charlie Kirk in programming provided to broadcast stations by ABC, Sinclair and its partners, which operate ABC stations in 30 markets in the U.S., will stop airing Jimmy Kimmel's show until further notice.
Danielle Decker Jones / @djtweets: Kimmel's comments on Monday: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” “In between the
Sasha / @servingcapreal: the John Oliver team currently debating how much prison time they want to serve for their next episode
Governor Josh Stein / @nc_governor: Our freedom of speech is one of the most precious rights enshrined in our Constitution. People have the right to say what they believe - even when we disagree. Free speech is not limited only to speech that we like.
Jason Kint / @jason_kint: Worth dropping in the full clip as context for your followers. Feel free to retweet it. [video]
@eatmekrugman: @bonchieredstate 100% accurate! Nexstar ended this today...and now Sinclair is saying they will have a Kirk special on Friday night in Kimmels spot. These big two ABC affiliates are why the show was canceled. Disney/ABC was going to get destroyed for that hour of high cost/no revenue
Nico Perrino / @nicoperrino: @bonchieredstate The FCC chairman literally said, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” And we already have reporting that execs were “pissing themselves” and fearful of government retaliation. [image]
@bonchieredstate: ABC did not fire Kimmel because of a government threat. There's nothing they were going to do, and everyone knows it. ABC fired Kimmel because he was losing the network millions a year and they needed a reason.
Matthew Zeitlin / @mattzeitlin: Nexstar has an acquisition that needs approval [image]
Nico Perrino / @nicoperrino: And, put this in the record, too: https://www.rollingstone.com/ ... [image]
Nico Perrino / @nicoperrino: Brendan Carr wrote the new textbook definition of jawboning when he said of Kimmel and ABC, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” And he celebrates his censorship with a lame meme, which, in a sane world, would be an exhibit in a lawsuit.
Erin Burnett OutFront / @outfrontcnn: “He did make a joke, one that others may even find crude. But that is neither illegal nor grounds for companies to capitulate to this administration in ways that violate the first amendment.” Anna Gomez, an FCC Commissioner, talks to @ErinBurnett about #ABC's decision to [video]
Carly Thomas / The Hollywood Reporter: Trump Celebrates After ABC Suspends ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Over Charlie Kirk Comments
Mathieu M.J.E. Rebeaud / @chercheurjuteux.com: Republicans are honoring Charlie Kirk's memory by declaring war on the First Amendment — The guardians of ‘free speech’ sure had a change of heart. — www.theverge.com/policy/77979...
@stardustbluepr.com: ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Is the latest victim of Trump's weaponized FCC and media conglomerates quick to bend the knee
Adi Robertson / The Verge: Republicans are honoring Charlie Kirk's memory by declaring war on the First Amendment
Slade Wentworth / @thedadbriefs@threads.com: This affects all of us. Whether you're a fan of Charlie Kirk or a fan of Jimmy Kimmel, you had better be a fan of the First Amendment.
Slade Wentworth / @thedadbriefs@threads.com: There is no nuance or finer point to be made here. This administration is leveraging lies to profit from the restriction of free speech.
Binyamin Appelbaum / @bcappelbaum.bsky.social: The owners of local TV stations were a conservative force in American politics and society even back when there were a lot of them. But allowing them to consolidate has certainly made it easier for them to flex those muscles. [embedded post]
@ndhapple.bsky.social: “And on Wednesday's now-scrapped show, he had put together an explainer on what he actually said vs. what the right-wing media claimed he said. Now, that won't air.” variety.com/2025/tv/news...
@kenwhite.bsky.social: A grim reminder: these people will never be satisfied. There's no point at which they will say “we've won, let's enjoy life.” They will always be looking for someone else to punish, to revile, to dehumanize. They're empty without that.
Adam B. Vary / @adambvary.bsky.social: Via my colleague @franklinavenue.bsky.social, for tonight's now-scrapped show, Jimmy Kimmel “had put together an explainer on what he actually said” about the shooter of Charlie Kirk “vs. what the right-wing media claimed he said. Now, that won't air.”
Tim Onion / @bencollins.bsky.social: Becoming increasingly clear we're gonna have to build a parallel infrastructure for all the media we really love. The reason all of this is happening under the color of law is hyperconsolidation, dissent being traded straight up for merger approval, or fear of harassment.
Phil Lewis / @phillewis.bsky.social: The WGA's statement on ABC's decision to pull “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” [image]
@acyn.bsky.social: Jarvis: I hate to say this to my friends here at CNN, mass media is dying, so they're taking the last of these vestiges of institutions that matter and they're trying to turn them into propaganda organs under threat from the head of the FCC
Sahara Stevens / @sahara-stevens.bsky.social: First is was Colbert. Now it's Kimmel. This is what authoritarians do. Trump wants to shut down any free speech that is critical of him. — Donald Trump Celebrates ABC Decision To Pull Jimmy Kimmel, Urges NBC To Drop Jimmy Fallon And Seth Meyers
Chris Murphy / @chrismurphyct.bsky.social: This is a massive, history making abuse of your power. It will define your legacy and one day you will come to regret punishing free speech and trying to destroy democracy. [image]
Brian Steinberg / Variety:
Disney's ABC says it will take Jimmy Kimmel Live! off its schedule “indefinitely” after Nexstar said its ABC affiliates would pre-empt airings of the program
Discussion:
@brendancarrfcc, New York Times, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, @jdvance, New Jersey Online, The Hollywood Reporter, Alternet.org, Columbia Journalism Review, Page Six, Vulture, The Wrap, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, People, Washington Post, Forbes, Vox, National Enquirer, @maxwelltani, Slate, Gary Sargent on LinkedIn, Mediaite, Barrett Media, New York Daily News, New York Post, Bossip, @rooseveltinstitute.org, @sarajacobs.house.gov, PennLive, @alexedelman, LateNighter, @isabelsantos.bsky.social, OutsideTheBeltway, Breitbart, Straight Arrow News, The Dispatch, The Daily Caller, @stevewhite.bsky.social, New York Magazine, @congressmanraja.bsky.social, @wang.social, @bennyjohnson, @ivey.house.gov, Hollywood Life, Us Weekly, Associated Press, @tho.bsky.social, @wyden.senate.gov, @jbflint, @bobgeiger.bsky.social, The Hill, Fox News, @repherbconaway.bsky.social, al.com, @blumenthal.senate.gov, @emory@soc.kvet.ch, @stoolpresidente, @mikenellis, @matthewstoller, @matthewkeyslive, @bristei.bsky.social, @matt_birchler@mastodon.social, @nicksortor, Rick van Leuven on LinkedIn, @ianmellul, @bennyjohnson, @bennyjohnson, @bennyjohnson, @karrieurbanist.bsky.social, @mattbelloni, @mrmads.bsky.social, @nickfeik.bsky.social, @luke_metro, @mattyglesias, @sherman4949, @call634-5789.bsky.social, @spocko@mastodon.online, @sanglesey.bsky.social, @lastpositivist.bsky.social, @gerrylangford.bsky.social, @natashadevon.bsky.social, @randahl@mastodon.social, @Sustainable2050 …, Scott Nover on LinkedIn, Courtney Radsch, PhD on LinkedIn, @rachel99marta.bsky.social, @plumber4america.bsky.social, BBC, @edwardchampion@mastodon …, @LisaKalayji@infosec.exchange, @tprophet@defcon.social, @ErikJonker@mastodon.social, @Nonilex@masto.ai, @AkaSci@fosstodon.org, @vanhollen.senate.gov, @hosford42@techhub.social, @gopjesus.bsky.social, @saschameinrath.bsky.social, @karlbode.com, @karlbode.com, Joanne Rossi on LinkedIn, @aprilajoy@threads.com, @jaketapper.bsky.social, @markgongloff.bsky.social, Daril Fannin on LinkedIn, @konfrst.bsky.social, @tvmojoe.bsky.social, @anne-s-kim.bsky.social, Los Angeles Times, @ericumansky.bsky.social, @nuphoto.com, @jackmirkinson.bsky.social, @mehdirhasan.bsky.social, @boozybadger …, @pauldechene.bsky.social, @craigipedia.bsky.social, @ginaintheburg@mastodon.world, @upbeachbum.bsky.social, @casmudde.bsky.social, @donmoyn.bsky.social, @frankconniff.bsky.social, @kalaka58.bsky.social, @katiefallow.bsky.social, @prchovanec.bsky.social, @lawprofblawg.bsky.social, @scottwiener.bsky.social, @kellzevan.bsky.social, @stephenthen.bsky.social, @yasharali.bsky.social, @brucedlittle.bsky.social, @amanbatheja.bsky.social, @the-pied-piper.bsky.social, @drewmagary.bsky.social, @stano.bsky.social, @reallymighty.bsky.social, @brenttoderian.bsky.social, @melissagiragrant.com, @barronwtramp.bsky.social, @schiff.senate.gov, @schiff.senate.gov, @plorigo.bsky.social, @altspaceforce.altgov.info, @beingliberal.bsky.social, @dceiver.bsky.social, @jonzoidberg.xyz, @brenttoderian.bsky.social, @goldengateblond.bsky.social, @frankenmizer.bsky.social, @danwentzel@urbanists.social, @govpritzker.illinois.gov, @itsdavis.bsky.social, @edeggans.bsky.social, @bachynski.bsky.social, @markjacob.bsky.social, @matt_birchler@mastodon.social, @niedermeyer.online, @JPummil@genomic.social, @ericdsmall@mastodon.vtip.me, @oneunderscore__@threads.com, @amykristinsanders.bsky.social, @allisonhantschel.com, @KimPerales@toad.social, @akelacooper.bsky.social, @kylec.bsky.social, @adambvary.bsky.social, @bencollins.bsky.social, Deadline, @tvmojoe.bsky.social and Fox News
Discussion:
Brendan Carr / @brendancarrfcc: I want to thank Nexstar for doing the right thing. Local broadcasters have an obligation to serve the public interest. While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community
Los Angeles Times: What Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers said about Jimmy Kimmel's suspension
JD Vance / @jdvance: Everyone please congratulate @marcorubio, the new host of ABC's late night show!
Amy Kuperinsky / New Jersey Online: N.J.'s Chelsea Handler: Jimmy Kimmel's suspension harks back to McCarthyism. 'Speak up before it's too late.'
James Hibberd / The Hollywood Reporter: FCC Chair Threatens Jimmy Kimmel Over Charlie Kirk Monologue Comments; ABC Pulls Show
Carl Gibson / Alternet.org: ‘Blatant assault on freedom of speech’: Colbert issues scathing takedown of ABC and Trump
Antoinette Bueno / Page Six: Stephen Colbert reacts to ABC ‘indefinitely’ suspending Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show
Josef Adalian / Vulture: ABC Pulls Jimmy Kimmel Live! From the Air ‘Indefinitely’
Katie Kilkenny / The Hollywood Reporter: Hollywood Teamsters React to Jimmy Kimmel Suspension, Rail Against Corporate Consolidation
Stephanie Wenger / People: Conservative Pundit S.E. Cupp Praises Jimmy Kimmel for ‘Generous’ Interview Despite Disagreement
Constance Grady / Vox: How Jimmy Kimmel became Trump's nemesis
Jennifer Lenhart / National Enquirer: Crew Removes Items From Jimmy Kimmel's LA Studio After His Show Is Taken Off Air: See The Pics
Max Tani / @maxwelltani: The union representing the musicians from Jimmy Kimmel's band releases a statement calling the FCC's pressure on Disney “state censorship.” [image]
Nitish Pahwa / Slate: Jimmy Kimmel's Suspension Is a Five-Alarm Fire
Gary Sargent / Gary Sargent on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/... So, what are everyone's thoughts on this one? Again, threats and pressure from DJT's team, which preaches free speech but only if it meets their criteria. …
Zachary Leeman / Mediaite: Geraldo Rivera Says ‘Schmucky’ Jimmy Kimmel ‘Owes’ Kirk Family an Apology Amid Suspension: 'He's Not Even Buried!'
Vivian Kwarm / New York Daily News: Everything we know about the status of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ and ‘Millionaire’
Connor Surmonte / New York Post: David Letterman slams ABC for putting Jimmy Kimmel on pause over Charlie Kirk comments
@rooseveltinstitute.org: Yesterday, a late-night show vanished with a simple directive from 2 of the largest media companies you've never heard of (Nexstar & Sinclair), backed by the FCC. That's not “the market at work.” It's concentrated corporate power cooperating with an authoritarian. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Congresswoman Sara Jacobs / @sarajacobs.house.gov: This isn't cancel culture - it's state-sanctioned censorship. The President of the United States should know and respect that our First Amendment protects speech even if he doesn't agree with it. If Jimmy Kimmel can be fired, you can be too.
Chris Mautner / PennLive: How long will Jimmy Kimmel be off the air? Here's what we know
Alex Edelman / @alexedelman: It's not that a company fired a comedian for saying something - it's that the US government explicitly pressured them to. There's no censorship equivalent, at least in my lifetime.
Jed Rosenzweig / LateNighter: Jon Stewart to Host The Daily Show Tonight, Will Address Kimmel Controversy
Isabel Santos / @isabelsantos.bsky.social: ABC and Disney yanked Jimmy Kimmel Live! despite executives saying he didn't cross a line, bowing to looming Trump administration threats—showing fear, not judgment, dictated the move. — www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/ tv... [image]
Steven L. Taylor / OutsideTheBeltway: Jimmy Kimmel Suspended Over Kirk Comments
Dylan Gwinn / Breitbart: Stephen A. Smith Goes After Kimmel Over Kirk Comments: 'Wasn't Anything Funny About That'
Craig Nigrelli / Straight Arrow News: Deadly police shooting in PA, Trump praises Kimmel's suspension: Unbiased Updates, Sept. 18, 2025
Nick Catoggio / The Dispatch: The Easy Way — The end of American exceptionalism. — Something to chew on …
Steve White / @stevewhite.bsky.social: Free speech? — Free press? — Freedom of religion (other than Evangelical Christian)? — Freedom to petition the government for redress of grievances? — Going, going, gone. The Constitution is in tatters. — It will take America decades to recover from #MAGA, if it ever does.
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi / @congressmanraja …: The Trump administration is using the levers of government to silence speech it doesn't like. Pushing Jimmy Kimmel off the air under FCC pressure is censorship, plain and simple—and it's a dangerous assault on the First Amendment. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Peter W / @wang.social: It's official, America: we live in a fascist regime now. And it's “constitution-loving, small government” Republicans who are bringing this kind of censorship, wrapped in the American flag. — www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/ ...
Benny Johnson / @bennyjohnson: This is what got Kimmel fired. Right here. Watch. It's called soft power. The Left uses it all the time. Thanks to President Trump, the Right has learned how to wield power as well. Brendan Carr is the most consequential FCC Chairman in American History [video]
Congressman Glenn Ivey / @ivey.house.gov: ABC's decision to cancel Jimmy Kimmel Live, combined with the FCC's heavy-handed censorship, is an alarming attack on free speech and artistic expression. The government should never decide which voices get heard and which get silenced. — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Daniel Trainor / Us Weekly: Barstool's Dave Portnoy Supports ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Being Pulled: ‘Consequences for Your Actions’
David Bauder / Associated Press: ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show indefinitely over his remarks about Charlie Kirk's death
Thomas Pockrandt / @tho.bsky.social: Canceling TV shows doesn't silence people, it shifts them. Viewers move to YouTube, TikTok, podcasts, social media. Online voices are louder, more global, less filtered. That brings fresh perspectives.📱
Senator Ron Wyden / @wyden.senate.gov: Trump is launching a full blown attack on free speech while his harem of billionaires buys up every media platform. This is no coincidence. It's a coordinated attack on your fundamental right to speak freely without worrying if you'll lose your job or worse.
Joe Flint / @jbflint: BREAKNG: Disney's ABC is pulling Jimmy Kimmel indefinitely after late night host's recent remarks about Charlie Kirk. Move comes as ABC affiliate groups told network they would be dropping the host.
Bob Geiger / @bobgeiger.bsky.social: This is nothing but government censorship. — If you're still thinking it's exaggerating to say we're moving toward a real-life 'Handmaid's Tale'... think again. — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Ashleigh Fields / The Hill: Obama on Kimmel: Trump admin taking cancel culture ‘to a new and dangerous level’
Congressman Herb Conaway / @repherbconaway.bsky.social: Like Kirk, Kimmel had the right to share his opinions-even if you find them offensive. — The problem with taking Kimmel off air has nothing to do with what he said. Trump put political pressure on ABC to cancel his show. — It's not cancel culture. It's a muzzle on speech that this admin doesn't like.
Richard Blumenthal / @blumenthal.senate.gov: Jimmy Kimmel is off-the-air because of an unprecedented act of gov't censorship. The FCC has now proven that its sole mission is to be the speech police for Trump, punishing his perceived opponents & rewarding his cronies. Chair Carr has shown his true self: free speech fraud.
Emory / @emory@soc.kvet.ch: > “This is not complicated: Trump's FCC identified speech it did not like and threatened ABC with extreme reprisals,” union President Tino Gagliardi said in a statement Wednesday night. “This is state censorship. It's now happening in the United States of America, not some far-off country. …
Dave Portnoy / @stoolpresidente: With Kimmel getting canned I'm seeing lots of people talking about the hypocrisy of cancel culture. To me Cancel culture is when people go out of their way to dig up old tweets, videos etc looking for dirt on somebody they don't like in an effort to get them fired. Like if
Mike Nellis / @mikenellis: Portnoy is missing the point here. If ABC, as Kimmel's employer, had an issue with what he said, that's one thing—but Trump and the FCC threatened to revoke their license if they didn't suspend him. That's what I'm upset about. It's an abuse of power, and if it happened to a
Matt Stoller / @matthewstoller: I haven't seen anyone point out that Disney has a pending merger with Fubo, and that is being reviewed by Trump's Antitrust Division. However, state AGs - including Democrats - also have jurisdiction... [image]
Matthew Keys / @matthewkeyslive: Wall Street Journal: Disney is hoping to have “Jimmy Kimmel Live” back on the air in the next few days, a source told @jbflint. https://www.wsj.com/...
Brian Steinberg / @bristei.bsky.social: Disney's L'Affaire Kimmel, from A to Z —Station owner Nexstar's move forced Disney's play —Late night's weaker economics make it hard to defend —Disney has been in similar straits, with Bill Maher in 2001 —Hollywood feels chill in re: free expression — variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Matt Birchler / @matt_birchler@mastodon.social: Per this reporting, ABC execs didn't think Kimmel ever crossed a line, but they feared the federal government and changed their speech because of that fear. — You know, classic small government, free speech enthusiast shit...right? — https://www.rollingstone.com/ ... [image]
Nick Sortor / @nicksortor: 🚨 MAJOR BREAKING: Disney's ABC is PULLING Jimmy Kimmel off-air nationwide effectively IMMEDIATELY and indefinitely following his remarks about Charlie Kirk's kiIIing, per WSJ This might be the END of Kimmel's career! 🔥 FAFO, you piece of trash. [image]
Rick van Leuven / Rick van Leuven on LinkedIn: ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel show over Charlie Kirk comments https://lnkd.in/... WE ARE IN FULL BLOWN FASCISM. Kimmel didn't say anything negative about Kirk, only about the fascist MAGA regime. …
Ian Mellul / @ianmellul: Charlie Kirk believed in free speech, something you guys are scared of clearly.
Benny Johnson / @bennyjohnson: Thank you CNN and Brian Stelter for melting down while admitting we ended Jimmy Kimmel's career today. We had FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on the show to announce investigations into ABC and Disney for letting Kimmel lie to millions about Charlie Kirk's assassination. Hours [video]
Benny Johnson / @bennyjohnson: BREAKING: President Trump tells NBC to cancel Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers following the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel. “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. [image]
Karrie Jacobs / @karrieurbanist.bsky.social: FCC chairman Brendan Carr was on a MAGA podcast when he made Mafia style threats ("we can do this the easy way or the hard way") regarding Jimmy Kimmel. — What kind of FCC chair appears on a show like that and then uses it to dismantle the First Amendment? — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b... …
Matthew Belloni / @mattbelloni: ABC source says “no plans” to pull Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. At least not until @BrendanCarrFCC sees this tweet and asks that it be pulled.
Mr. Mads / @mrmads.bsky.social: Colbert, Kimmel and the future ex-hosts are not only cancelled because they said something The Tyrant doesn't like. — They do great research and present facts that the MSM are not touching. — This is what makes them dangerous. — #LateNight=RealNews — #Colbert — #Kimmel
Nick Feik / @nickfeik.bsky.social: They may be smart and well-resourced, but the NY Times editorial staff sure aren't brave. — It wasn't the Kirk comments that got his show cancelled...
Matthew Yglesias / @mattyglesias: Brendan Carr killed the first amendment on constitution day
Alex Sherman / @sherman4949: I'm sure Jimmy Kimmel will have a somber, measured take on this when he is un-muzzled
@call634-5789.bsky.social: COWARDS, Giving Fealty to NAZIS: ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel show off air ‘indefinitely’ over Charlie Kirk comments — www.cnbc.com/2025/09/17/c...
@spocko@mastodon.online: Here is the section that supposedly lead to #ABC taking #JimmyKimmel off the air. — Listen to what Kimmel says & then see how the #Trump admin characterized it (according an NBC story https://www.nbcnews.com/... ) — “During his monologue on Monday night, Kimmel raised the possibility that Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the killing, might have been a pro-Trump Republican.” …
Steve Anglesey / @sanglesey.bsky.social: JD Vance, Feb 2025: “In Britain, and across Europe, free speech I fear is in retreat. In Washington, there is a new sheriff in town and under Donald Trump's leadership we may disagree with your views but we will fight to defend your right to offer it.” — www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/ tv...
@lastpositivist.bsky.social: Just absolutely transparent use of state power to suppress speech, with the company basically deciding that favour at court and the commercial benefits it brings are worth more to them than any principle. Cowardly and disgusting. — variety.com/2025/tv/news...
@gerrylangford.bsky.social: When they accuse the UK of having a problem with free speech — variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Natasha Devon / @natashadevon.bsky.social: More news from the country lecturing us in the U.K. about how we apparently don't have freeze peach.... www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Randahl Fink / @randahl@mastodon.social: Following CBS' cancellation of Stephen Colbert's late show, ABC has now suspended Jimmi Kimmel for saying things, Trump does not like. And the story is the same, both companies are in mergers which Trump can prevent, and suddenly they are cancelling their most popular hosts. …
Kees van der Leun / @Sustainable2050@mastodon.energy: Kimmel, on his show: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” — Trump regime: We may sue ABC for that. …
Scott Nover / Scott Nover on LinkedIn: The Walt Disney Company's ABC has taken “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air following the host's comments about Charlie Kirk's shooter. …
Courtney Radsch, PhD / Courtney Radsch, PhD on LinkedIn: ABC's abrupt suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live just hours after FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly threatened the network's license over Kimmel's …
RachelMarta / @rachel99marta.bsky.social: The abrupt decision by network, owned by Walt Disney Company, came hours after the chairman of the FCC, Brendan Carr, assailed Mr. Kimmel & suggested that his regulatory agency might take action against ABC because of remarks the host made on his telecast — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b... …
@plumber4america.bsky.social: It goes deeper than this. CNBC and other outlets just reported on this: “Nexstar Media Group, which is seeking FCC approval for a $6.2 billion merger with Tegna, earlier said its ABC affiliates would pre-empt Kimmel's show because of his remarks.” www.cnbc.com/2025/09/17/c...
Nardine Saad / BBC: Jimmy Kimmel taken off air over Charlie Kirk comments
Edward Champion / @edwardchampion@mastodon.social: ABC and Disney decided to obey in advance when it came to the preposterous indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's show. There was nothing in Kimmel's remarks that constituted hate speech. There wasn't even a cue from the White House. They absolutely decided to capitulate to fascism. …
Lisa Kalayji / @LisaKalayji@infosec.exchange: In today's episode of Yikes, This Move Will Age Very Poorly: — “ABC's pre-emption of Kimmel's show is the latest dramatic example of a media figure suffering backlash for their public comments about Kirk's assassination. …
@tprophet@defcon.social: The regimes running Russia and Turkey made sure there were no opposition voices in the media, too. https://www.cnbc.com/...
Erik Jonker / @ErikJonker@mastodon.social: If you read what Jimmy Kimmel actually said...this is free speech in any democracy in the western world, his comments weren't even hateful or inciting. The USA is transforming into a fascist state before our eyes. — https://www.cnbc.com/... #jimmykimmel #trump #fascism #freespeech
@Nonilex@masto.ai: This is getting ridiculous — #ABC takes #JimmyKimmel off the air over remarks on #CharlieKirk killing —
The decision to indefinitely preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” follows backlash to comments he made about the conservative influencer's death. …
AkaSci / @AkaSci@fosstodon.org: Jimmy Kimmel gets cancelled. — For saying this - ""We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it. …
Senator Chris Van Hollen / @vanhollen.senate.gov: Trump and his cronies are using blatant government coercion to suppress speech they don't like — a gross violation of the 1st Amendment. Shame on ABC for caving to political blackmail. — We must stand with those who resist the bullies and call out those who appease them. NO KINGS.
Aaron / @hosford42@techhub.social: https://www.nytimes.com/... I think it's safe to say, we no longer have freedom of speech here in the US. Actually, maybe it's not so safe to say that.
@gopjesus.bsky.social: I'm old enough to remember when the Walt Disney Company stood up to MAGA fascists like DeSantis. — This is a TOTAL SURRENDER to MAGA's cancel culture! — Sad! www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Sascha Meinrath / @saschameinrath.bsky.social: So let's be clear — the US government's official communications agency is actively censoring a comedy show. When we talk about the dangers of government censorship, *this* is what it looks like: — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Karl Bode / @karlbode.com: Elsewhere, like at Hollywood Reporter, you have to wade through paragraphs of quoting republicans in good faith before the push is questioned by anybody — I don't know what this kind of stuff is but it's not journalism. It's some toothless gruel stripped of all flavor, insight, courage, and context
Karl Bode / @karlbode.com: The FCC boss abused government power and the merger approval process to censor a comedian critical of the president, but media trade mags are so utterly useless you'd never understand that reading their coverage
Joanne Rossi / Joanne Rossi on LinkedIn: Disney suspends The Jimmy Kimmel show indefinitely after he lies about Charlie Kirk's shooter's political affiliation. Has DISNEY found their way back to sanity finally? …
April Ajoy / @aprilajoy@threads.com: So Jimmy Kimmel gets removed indefinitely for suggesting the shooter is MAGA, but Brian Kilmeade suggested killing homeless people on Fox News and still has his job?
@jaketapper.bsky.social: 7) “...Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time” — www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-abc-...
Mark Gongloff / @markgongloff.bsky.social: Canaries just dropping left and right in this coal mine — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Daril Fannin / Daril Fannin on LinkedIn: A few years ago I co-wrote a pilot with Jimmy Kimmel. I saw firsthand the sharp wit, curiosity, and fearlessness that have defined his career. …
Jennifer Konfrst / @konfrst.bsky.social: The President of the United States just forced a popular comedian off the air because he couldn't handle getting criticized. Free speech belongs to all of us. — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
TvmoJoe / @tvmojoe.bsky.social: NEW: I've updated my story to include details on the anatomy of the campaign against Kimmel (yes, Fox News and Benny Johnson were involved) and the parallels to the time ABC canceled another late-night host after the right got mad. Up now at @vulture.com www.vulture.com/article/abc- ...
Anne S Kim / @anne-s-kim.bsky.social: Ultimate irony of ironies - today is Constitution Day. — www.constitutionday.com — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times: ABC drops ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ indefinitely over host's Charlie Kirk remarks
Eric Umansky / @ericumansky.bsky.social: It's not just ABC and Disney that caved. — Nextstar, one of the country's largest TV station operators, said earlier tonight that they're kicking Kimmel off-air. — As it happens, they a big merger deal pending administration approval. — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b... [image]
Nick Ulivieri / @nuphoto.com: It's *VERY* important to note that ABC didn't decide to pull Kimmel's show as a private business decision (which they have a right to do), rather, the FCC implied that if ABC didn't punish Kimmel, the licenses of ABC affiliates could be revoked. — www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ f...
Jack Mirkinson / @jackmirkinson.bsky.social: this just doesn't cut it. kimmel didn't merely “face some criticism,” the head of the FCC publicly demanded that he be punished! and ABC obliged! it's a total dereliction not to make that clear in your headline www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b... [image]
Mehdi Hasan / @mehdirhasan.bsky.social: Silly Jimmy Kimmel. He should have just called for all homeless people to be killed and he'd still have a job.
Col. Boozy Badger / @boozybadger.lawyersandliquor.com: I'm sure they plan on stopping at late night comedians.
Paul Dechene / @pauldechene.bsky.social: Really thought shutting down the late night comedians would come in year two. America is overachieving on its slide into authoritarianism.
Craig Harrington / @craigipedia.bsky.social: Donald Trump is on a state visit in the UK right now. It's after 1am in the morning over there! [image]
Gina Intheburg / @ginaintheburg@mastodon.world: #ABC Pulls #JimmyKimmel off air for #CharlieKirk comments after #FCC chair issued a threat to remove ABC's broadcast license. — That's how Trump's govt rolls now: blatant gangster moves. — “Gee, nice network you got there. Too bad if s/thing should happen to it.” — https://www.nytimes.com/... …
UPBeachBum / @upbeachbum.bsky.social: Pure fascism. — “What people don't understand is that the broadcasters ... have a license granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest.” Um lets fucking do Fox “News” now. 🤬 #FascistGOP www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ f...
@casmudde.bsky.social: So even someone like Jimmy Kimmel, who brings in millions, isn't safe from far-right intimidation! — And every high-profile surrender not just feeds the thirst for more among the far-right mob but also facilitates the next surrender.
Don Moynihan / @donmoyn.bsky.social: What America is going through is not unusual in historical terms. Plenty of examples like it today elsewhere in the world. — What makes it unusual is the rapid collapse from a set of widely espoused norms and values that centered on liberty. It is the sacking of the shining city on hill that shocks.
Frank Conniff / @frankconniff.bsky.social: Remember when trans people complained about some of Chappelle's jokes and then he got a multi-million dollar deal to make more Netflix specials? Now THAT was cancel culture!
Debra / @kalaka58.bsky.social: It's a good thing I don't watch ABC anyway, but Disney w/Hulu is about to be CANCELLED. — variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Katie Fallow / @katiefallow.bsky.social: “A government official cannot coerce a private party to punish or suppress disfavored speech on her behalf” NRA v Vullo — www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/b...
Patrick Chovanec / @prchovanec.bsky.social: It does if it comes in response to a direct government threat to punish the broadcaster. Which happened today. [embedded post]
@lawprofblawg.bsky.social: One thing is certain: All those mergers have increased the efficiency of censorship and authoritarian control. — #Satire
Senator Scott Wiener / @scottwiener.bsky.social: CBS canceled Colbert. — ABC canceled Kimmel. — Both outlets did so after they bribed Trump with settlements of bogus lawsuits & after the hosts criticized Trump/MAGA. — This is peak fascism. [image]
KellzEvan / @kellzevan.bsky.social: Once again, the Left is practicing cancel culture. Oh, wait, this is coming from the Right. — This is Trumps way to crack down on the 1st Amendment (even though he probably doesn't know jack shit about the 1st Amendment). — variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Stephen / @stephenthen.bsky.social: Ooh, Drew, the story you link doesn't even capture the true horror. Today, the FCC Chair said “Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. . . . find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.” CENSORSHIP
Yashar Ali / @yasharali.bsky.social: Benny Johnson, who had FCC Chairman Brandon Carr on his show earlier today, says “we did it for you, Charlie. And we're just getting started...” [image]
Bruce Little / @brucedlittle.bsky.social: Suppressing lawful expression & censoring dissent . . . FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly threatened ABC affiliates with license revocation over Kimmel's comments, accusing him of “news distortion.” — This led to Nexstar Media Group to preempt the show, and to ABC officially suspending the program.
Aman Batheja / @amanbatheja.bsky.social: Incredible detail from Deadline: Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which debuted in 2003, “was born out of the network's cancellation of Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect in 2002 after the...host rebuked accusations that the 9/11 terrorists were ‘cowards.’” — deadline.com/2025/09/jimm...
Piper / @the-pied-piper.bsky.social: I feel like we sailed right by “put your oxygen mask on first before assisting others” and civic society collectively failed to notice at all that the masks had dropped out of the overhead compartment. — Sadly, the results aren't gonna be anywhere near as painless as drifting away into hypoxia.
Stan Oklobdzija / @stano.bsky.social: Far more dangerous than Trump, I think, is how quickly the last eight months have pulled back the curtain on America's elites and shown everyone how venal, how cowardly and how utterly mediocre the foundation of our society has been. [embedded post]
Myles Warden / @reallymighty.bsky.social: This is beyond infuriating, and we cannot allow this to become an acceptable thing. First Colbert, now Kimmel...this is a dangerous precedent, and we aren't even a year into his Presidency yet. Who knows who will be next and for what petty reason. I'm disgusted. — deadline.com/2025/09/jimm...
Brent Toderian / @brenttoderian.bsky.social: Now the corporate cowards have cancelled Jimmy Kimmel too. Since Fallon has made himself unwatchable with his lack of integrity, it's nearing the end of credible late night interview shows in the U.S. (watch your back, Seth). — The lack of backbone is just staggering. www.vulture.com/article/abc- ...
Melissa Gira Grant / @melissagiragrant.com: that something significant in all this went down on The Benny Johnson Show.... ...... ......
Barron W. Tramp / @barronwtramp.bsky.social: I have two friends who think this isn't a really big deal — THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL! — This is very, very bad — This tells us we're not at the beginning of the takeover but IN THE MIDDLE — It doesn't matter if you watched Kimmel or not- — This- this is scary bad …
Sen. Adam Schiff / @schiff.senate.gov: This administration is responsible for the most blatant attacks on the free press in American history. — What will be left of the First Amendment when he's done?
Sen. Adam Schiff / @schiff.senate.gov: Kimmel. — Colbert. — Suits against the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and 60 Minutes. — Extorting settlements from CBS, ABC, and others. — Blocking the AP's access to the White House. 🧵
Phil Lorigo / @plorigo.bsky.social: just checked, all the canaries in the coal mine are juuuust fine an- I SAID DONT GO DOWN THERE I JUST CHECKED THEY ARE FINE — www.vulture.com/article/abc- ...
@altspaceforce.altgov.info: It's still there. Just checking... ya know... no reason. — constitution.congress.gov/constitution. .. [image]
@beingliberal.bsky.social: The failure of mainstream media to do their job und actively undermine the First Amendment to appease the Mad King and his court will be taught in the history classes... and history will not be kind for them. — variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Jason Linkins / @dceiver.bsky.social: politics keeps being done the right way I guess — www.vulture.com/article/abc- ...
JonZoidberg / @jonzoidberg.xyz: Cancel culture is cool when they do it. — deadline.com/2025/09/jimm...
Brent Toderian / @brenttoderian.bsky.social: Now the corporate cowards have cancelled Jimmy Kimmel too. Since Jimmy Fallon has made himself unwatchable with his lack of integrity and backbone, it's the end of credible late night interview shows in the U.S. — And Trump didn't even have to make them do it. The corporations did it themselves.
Shauna / @goldengateblond.bsky.social: in light of the kimmel news, just a reminder that a few days ago a prominent fox news host literally called for killing homeless people. right afterward, someone shot up a couple homeless encampments. — that fox news host still has his job. [embedded post]
Colin Laney / @frankenmizer.bsky.social: I think the backstory is Nexstar, with 200 stations in 116 markets — www.vulture.com/article/abc- ...
Dan Wentzel / @danwentzel@urbanists.social: ABC pulling JImmy Kimmel “indefinitely” is more proof that Trump's America is now a fascist state. — California/Pacifica independence anyone? — https://www.vulture.com/...
Governor JB Pritzker / @govpritzker.illinois.gov: A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians because the President doesn't like what they say. — This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand. — All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act.
@itsdavis.bsky.social: when means of communication are owned by a small group of capitalists, freedom of expression is an illusion — www.vulture.com/article/abc- ...
Eric Deggans / @edeggans.bsky.social: My question: when in the world did the FCC get the power to pull any TV station's license over a joke? https://loom.ly/TT59lOQ
Kathleen Bachynski / @bachynski.bsky.social: Anna Gomez: “We must stand firm against every attempt to silence dissent, punish satirists and government critics, and erode individual liberty. To surrender our right to speak freely is to accept that those in power, not the people, will set the boundaries of debate that define a free society.”
Mark Jacob / @markjacob.bsky.social: “Media capture” happens when friends of a strongman leader buy up media and transform them into mouthpieces for him. And it happens when big corporations decide that sacrificing the legitimacy of their media properties is a way to protect their farflung businesses from the fascist leader's sabotage.
Matt Birchler / @matt_birchler@mastodon.social: Wait, wasn't comedy legal now? https://www.nytimes.com/...
E.W. Niedermeyer / @niedermeyer.online: if Jimmy Kimmel's political humor is too hot for you to handle, I'm not sure “snowflake” even cuts it as a term of derision for the level of fragility you've achieved
Eric Darnley Small / @ericdsmall@mastodon.vtip.me: ABC has pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from its schedule “indefinitely” after Nexstar Media, a major owner of ABC-affiliated TV stations, announced it would preempt the show in response to Kimmel's remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. …
Ben Collins / @oneunderscore__@threads.com: The Free Speech President has now pulled two of the three major late night hosts off the air through threats and intimidation because of their jokes. Obviously I'm behind Jimmy Kimmel 100% in the face of this fascist garbage. Speech against this admin isn't just being chilled, they're freezing it.
Amy Kristin Sanders / @amykristinsanders.bsky.social: This is unsurprising given ABC settled with Trump for $15M less than a year ago in defamation case it likely could have won. — One by one, the major media companies are demonstrating unheard of levels of cowardice in the face of bullying from the Trump Administration. [embedded post]
Allison Hantschel / @allisonhantschel.com: I just cannot believe ... like for this fucking guy? That's who we're dismantling society for? Does this seem normal AT ALL?! [embedded post]
Kim Perales / @KimPerales@toad.social: “ABC is pulling #JimmyKimmelLive “indefinitely” after Nexstar Media, one of the nation's largest TV station owners, said it would stop airing the program in response to Kimmel's remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.” — #Fascism #FreePress #1A #FreeSpeech #Protest #USPol https://variety.com/...
Akela Cooper / @akelacooper.bsky.social: There have been so many canaries in this coal mine of shit we're and this is a huge one. — deadline.com/2025/09/jimm...
Kyle Clark / @kylec.bsky.social: Nexstar is one of the largest owners of local TV stations in the US. Nexstar, which owns Fox31 in Denver, is acquiring the parent company of 9NEWS and has said the stations will be combined. variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Adam B. Vary / @adambvary.bsky.social: This is deeply, deeply chilling, and I suspect will be seen as even more of a turning point than Colbert's cancellation — at least The Late Show is still on the air.
Tim Onion / @bencollins.bsky.social: The Free Speech President has now pulled two of the three major late night hosts off the air through threats and intimidation because of their jokes. Obviously I'm behind Jimmy Kimmel 100% in the face of this fascist garbage. Speech against this admin isn't just being chilled, they're freezing it.
Patrick Hipes / Deadline: ElectionLine — See the latest political news in U.S. politics and world politics from Deadline.
Jill Goldsmith / Deadline:
Shari Redstone defends the CBS News settlement with President Trump, praises Bari Weiss of The Free Press, and calls for media people to be more thoughtful — In her first public appearance since selling her family company to David Ellison's Skydance, Shari Redstone complimented Bari Weiss …
Discussion:
Oliver Darcy / Status: Cold Front at CNN
Jacob Bryant / The Wrap: Shari Redstone Says Late Night TV Is ‘Financially Not Viable’ Amid Colbert-Kimmel Upheaval | Video
Will McKinley / @willmckinley.bsky.social: Shari Redstone had an opportunity today to (slightly) redeem herself. Did she? Of course not. — deadline.com/2025/09/shar...
Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter: Shari Redstone Says Late Night TV Financially “Not Viable,” Bari Weiss Would Be “Good Voice” at CBS News
Christine Wang / Axios: Exclusive: Shari Redstone says news outlets need facts, not opinion
Michael Savage / The Guardian:
The BBC and UK's other public sector broadcasters call for new regulations to force platforms such as YouTube to give them a fairer deal and more prominence — Bosses say independent news needs to be promoted on social platforms that increasing numbers of viewers are turning to
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Vanity Fair:
Vanity Fair announces 12 new hires, including Olivia Nuzzi, who left New York Magazine in October 2024 after admitting to an affair with RFK Jr. — Jennifer Pastore, Olivia Nuzzi, Lindsey Underwood, Aidan McLaughlin, and more to join the magazine — Today, Vanity Fair global editorial …
Discussion:
MediaPost, New York Post, The Wrap, @rusty.todayintabs.com, @starshine.bsky.social and @meredithshiner.com
Discussion:
Ray Schultz / MediaPost: Vanity Fair Staffs Up, Incoming Team Includes Olivia Nuzzi And Jennifer Pastore
Victor Nava / New York Post: Olivia Nuzzi hired by Vanity Fair nearly a year after RFK Jr. sexting scandal
Corbin Bolies / The Wrap: Olivia Nuzzi Joins Vanity Fair as West Coast Editor 11 Months After New York Magazine Ouster
Liz Skalka / Columbia Journalism Review:
A profile of Aaron Parnas, a news influencer with 4.3M followers on TikTok and 600K subscribers on Substack, whose audience is valuable for top Democrats — Aaron Parnas, a twenty-six-year-old with a larger TikTok audience than some mainstream outlets and the most popular “news” Substack …
Discussion:
Simon Owens / Simon Owens's Media Newsletter: Can a news influencer become the next Walter Cronkite?
Liz Skalka / @lizskalka: Aaron Parnas debuted on TikTok posting about pizza toppings and hair loss. Now, at 26, he's pivoted hard into journalism, landing interviews with leading Dems and becoming one of Substack's most popular creators—while accepting dark money. New in @cjr: https://www.cjr.org/...
Mark Stenberg / Adweek:
The News Movement is restructuring under a holding company called Caliber and plans to launch an app, SaySo, which will be “like Apple News+ but for creators” — The holding company will house TNM, The Recount, Capsule, and Caliber Collective ahead of a 2026 app launch
Murray Stassen / Music Business Worldwide:
Sources: BMG, a division of Bertelsmann, buys Jason Aldean's catalog along with 1,000 songs by 23 artists, in a deal worth $250M, its single largest acquisition — Big news today from BMG. — The company has acquired the recorded music catalog of Country music superstar Jason Aldean.
Steven Zeitchik / The Hollywood Reporter:
Luma AI partners with Adobe to bring its generative video model Ray3 to Firefly's paid users; Ray3 creates highly realistic 10-second videos without dialogue — Ray3, the companies hope, can become a staple to rival Google … Starting today, the AI video company is making Ray3 available …
Discussion:
ZDNET, MediaPost, Lowpass, The Decoder, Prince Boucher on LinkedIn, SiliconANGLE, CNET and CoinGeek, more at Techmeme »
Discussion:
Laurie Sullivan / MediaPost: Reasoning Models Enabling Brands To Generate ‘Cinematic’ Content
Janko Roettgers / Lowpass: Luma AI CEO: Hollywood is dying, only AI can save it
Maximilian Schreiner / The Decoder: Luma AI unveils Ray3, a generative video model with HDR support
Prince Boucher / Prince Boucher on LinkedIn: Launch day is like a rodeo, you never know the next move. The past couple weeks leading up to today has been intense but amazing to hear the feedback on the product. …
Kyt Dotson / SiliconANGLE: Luma AI launches Ray3, a next-gen cinematic video generation model with built-in reasoning
Katelyn Chedraoui / CNET: Luma AI's New Ray3 Video Generator Can ‘Think’ Before Creating
Oliver Connolly / The Guardian:
Tom Brady's twin roles as commentator and minority team owner is one in a long line of conflicts of interest in sports media, including the NFL's stake in ESPN — The seven-time Super Bowl champion has a prominent position at both Fox and the team he co-owns. It's getting harder for those two things to exist together
Discussion:
Sam Neumann / Awful Announcing: Rodney Harrison ‘very uncomfortable’ with Tom Brady's conflict of interest
Jerry McDonald / Mercury News: NFL mag: Catching up with Amy Trask
Adam Schefter / @adamschefter: NFL announced today that Tom Brady, a minority owner with the Raiders and a broadcaster for Fox, is “prohibited from going to a team facility for practices or production meetings.” But he is allowed to sit in the coaches' booth, per the league. https://www.espn.co.uk/...
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post: Tom Brady is doing too much
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