Summary
- ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show indefinitely.
- Suspension followed Kimmel’s comments on Charlie Kirk killing.
- Kimmel accused MAGA of exploiting Kirk’s death politically.
- Comments drew backlash from conservatives and FCC chairman.
The announcement follows the CBS network's July announcement that it was discontinuing "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," its most popular late-night program.
"Mr. Kimmel's comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,"
said Nexstar Media Group, an owner of ABC TV affiliates.
At a Utah Valley University outdoor event last week, Kirk, a political activist with strong ties to US President Donald Trump, was shot and murdered.
Since then, the guy suspected of killing Kirk has been taken into custody, and seven state charges, including aggravated murder, have been brought against him by the prosecution. Additionally, they have stated that they intend to pursue the death penalty against the alleged murderer.
Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA, is widely recognized for having inspired conservative youth to support Trump and help him retake the White House in 2024.
In his well-liked late-night program on Monday, Jimmy Kimmel discussed the tragedy, saying:
"We had some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA [Make America Great Again] gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it."
Citing a video of Trump's remarks on the White House grounds, he continued to attack Trump's grief over Kirk, stating: "This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish."
Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications agency (FCC), demanded that local broadcasters cease airing "Jimmy Kimmel Live" prior to Thursday's announcement and proposed that the agency launch an investigation.
If there was a pattern of skewed remarks, he said, broadcasters might face fines or license suspension.
Tyson Barker, a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, told DW the FTC chair's statement "definitely has a chilling effect on speech."
"Given the fact that so many of these media companies are currently in negotiation for mergers and acquisitions and want to stay on the good side of the president and his administration, they seem to be acting accordingly and somewhat disproportionately in chilling that speech."
While Trump celebrated Kimmel's removal, such a stance appears inconsistent with the tradition of free speech in the United States and contradictory to Trump's own professed views while campaigning in 2024, Barker told DW.
“[Kimmel's comments have] been interpreted in different ways by different actors,"
Barker said.
"But the bottom line is having that space for free speech, including speech that people disagree with, was actually one of the issues that President Trump and Vice President JD Vance ran on. So to see that the idea of free speech is selectively applied in the United States seems inconsistent with the message that they were trying to send to voters last year."
Opposition Democrats have voiced outrage at what they describe as a growing attempt by the Trump administration to censor any media views it considers contrary to its point of view.
The only Democratic member of the FCC, Anna Gomez, said that under free speech laws, the body, an independent agency of the US government, should not be able to dictate to broadcasters what they can air.
"This administration is increasingly using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression," she told broadcaster CNN.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a vocal Trump critic, was also forthright about the administration's recent moves against the media.
"Buying and controlling media platforms. Firing commentators. Canceling shows. These aren't coincidences. It's coordinated. And it's dangerous,"
he wrote, adding:
"They are censoring you in real time."
Following the cancellation of Kimmel's show, the DJV, Germany's primary journalists' organization, has called on major US media corporations to stand by journalists and protect freedom of the press and opinion.
"We are observing a rampant erosion of freedom of the press and freedom of expression in the US,"
DJV head Mika Beuster said in a statement on Thursday
According to him, ABC made a mistake in its choice, stating that
"servility toward Trump will not bring them [media companies] peace, but will result in further pressure."
Trump has been scolding US media outlets and even suing them for any coverage that he believes is critical of him or his activities.
For example, he accused Penguin Random House and The New York Times of unfairly treating him in a $15 billion (€12.7 billion) defamation case he launched this week.
What are the implications of show cancellations for TV networks?
Networks often cancel shows due to declining ratings and viewership, which directly affect advertising revenue. High production costs can make a show economically unviable if it fails to attract enough viewers or generate sufficient revenue.
Cancelling underperforming shows allows networks to reallocate budgets to new or more profitable content, optimizing return on investment. Frequent cancellations can frustrate loyal viewers, potentially damaging the network's reputation and risking loss of audience trust.
Conversely, opening time slots for fresh shows can attract new viewers and rejuvenate the network’s brand.