The American Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Corporation, has suspended the late night comedy show Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely.

The decision was allegedly taken amid mounting pressure from conservative voices and the Federal Communications Commission over American TV host Jimmy Kimmel’s comments following the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel used his Monday night monologue to criticise what he called attempts by the MAGA movement to politicise Kirk’s death. In particular, he suggested that many in “MAGA-land” were trying to characterise the alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, “as anything other than one of them”, trying to paint him as a radical left leaning lunatic and using the tragedy for political leverage.

The remarks generated backlash. ABC affiliate Nexstar Media Group, which owns many local stations, said the comments were “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse”. Nexstar announced it would preempt the show – stop airing it on its stations – “for the foreseeable future”.

However, ABC’s actions are being seen as capitulating to the administration’s whims. On Wednesday, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, appeared on Benny Johnson’s podcast and had terse words for Kimmel and the channel’s parent company.

He condemned Kimmel’s comments as misleading and “truly sick,” and threatened regulatory consequences for ABC and Disney. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

Soon after Carr’s remarks, ABC announced that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will be pre-empted indefinitely. Nexstar, which operates 32 ABC affiliates, said it would not broadcast the show for the “foreseeable future”. 

US president Donald Trump applauded ABC’s move, calling it “great news for America” and claiming Kimmel had “ZERO talent”.

The decision has drawn criticism from many on the political left and free-speech advocates. Some see it as a chilling precedent: when a late-night show is taken off the air not because of legal violations but because its host offended a vindictive administration.

Massachusetts Representative Jim McGovern called the move “censorship,” while First Amendment groups and media law experts warned of slippery slopes.

Political pressure

While the immediate cause is the controversy over Kimmel’s remarks, many observers believe political pressure was central. Rolling Stone reported that ABC, Disney and other affiliates were in frantic meetings to minimise the perceived threat from the administration, even though some executives felt Kimmel hadn’t said anything objectionable.

The show’s suspension follows a pattern: conservative media critics and political figures, including Trump, have been amplifying criticism of late-night hosts who speak against them. 

In July, CBS had cancelled The Late Show hosted by Stephen Colbert. CBS said the move was based on financial reasons, not on performance or content. However, the decision was seen as the channel changing its editorial direction, as it was taken just days after its parent company, Paramount, reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with Trump.

There are some indications that ABC’s decision is also an attempt to protect financial interests. Deadline reported that Nexstar, the largest broadcasting station group in the country, is dependent on FCC regulatory approval for its ongoing merger with Tegna, another media and broadcast company. The upcoming merger is estimated to be worth 6.2 billion dollars and will make Nexstar the largest broadcasting corporation in the US with access to 80 percent of the market.

Critics argue that using a government regulator in this way threatens the independence of the press and entertainment media. Regulatory bodies like the FCC intervening or threatening action over speech raises constitutional concerns under the First Amendment of the US constitution. Under US law, protected speech cannot be censored or punished by the government merely because it offends someone.

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