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Brendan Carr's emboldened FCC takes on Trump's media foes

September 19, 2025

ABC has indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show after he made controversial comments following Charlie Kirk's murder, becoming the latest media personality affected by the Trump administration's campaign against perceived liberal bias. The suspension occurred shortly after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened action against media companies if they didn't push back against Kimmel, with Nexstar Media and Sinclair quickly suspending the program on their ABC affiliates. This follows a pattern where media companies have settled lawsuits with President Trump, agreed to policy changes, or faced regulatory pressure, including CBS canceling Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show" weeks earlier.

Who is affected

  • Jimmy Kimmel and his ABC show
  • ABC, CBS, and other broadcasters
  • Media companies including Disney (ABC's parent) and Paramount (CBS's parent)
  • Nexstar Media and Sinclair (ABC affiliates)
  • Stephen Colbert and "The Late Show"
  • NPR and PBS (through funding cuts)
  • News outlets facing lawsuits (Wall Street Journal, New York Times)
  • Viewers of these programs and news outlets

What action is being taken

  • ABC has suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show "indefinitely"
  • The FCC under Brendan Carr is expanding its regulatory oversight of media content
  • President Trump is filing lawsuits against news outlets and social media companies
  • Congress is cutting funding for NPR and PBS
  • Media companies are settling lawsuits and changing editorial policies
  • The FCC is reviewing media company mergers with new conditions
  • Some media companies are "pre-emptively censoring themselves" according to Anthony Nadler

Why it matters

  • The situation raises concerns about government pressure on media companies and potential threats to free speech
  • Media consolidation has made companies more vulnerable to government pressure
  • Even some conservatives, including Tucker Carlson and Senator Jerry Moran, have expressed concerns about free speech implications
  • The actions represent what Yale professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld describes as unprecedented government intrusion in business affairs
  • Media companies appear to be making content decisions influenced by regulatory pressure or fear of government retaliation

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC

Brendan Carr's emboldened FCC takes on Trump's media foes