WASHINGTON: Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr stated that government pressure did not influence the suspension of late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.
Carr made his remarks despite having previously urged Disney and ABC to take action against Kimmel for comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation that he is in because of his ratings, not because of anything that’s happened at the federal government level,” Carr said at a New York forum.
A growing number of lawmakers had sharply criticised Carr’s earlier comments when he suggested Disney and ABC affiliates act, stating “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
Disney announced on Monday that Kimmel’s show will return to the air on Tuesday following conversations with the host.
The company explained last week that it suspended the show “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.”
ABC suspended Kimmel’s late-night talk show on Wednesday after Carr warned that local broadcasters airing it could face fines or license losses.
Dozens of local TV stations affiliated with ABC said they would stop broadcasting the show, including Nexstar, which requires FCC approval for a $6.2 billion merger with Tegna.
Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez rejected Carr’s characterisation of the suspension as a business decision.
“This regrettable chapter is a stain on the FCC,” Gomez said Monday, calling it “a concerning moment of direct government intervention into business decisions.”
CNN reported that Carr reacted to ABC’s suspension of Kimmel with a celebratory dancing GIF from “The Office.”
Carr wrote on X on Thursday that he hoped other local programmers would stop airing the show, urging broadcasters to “push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values.”
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz, a Republican, described Carr’s threat as dangerous on Friday.
“I got to say that’s right out of ‘Goodfellas’,” Cruz said, comparing it to a Mafioso telling a bar owner “Nice bar you have here. It would be a shame if something happened to it.”
Carr sought to clarify his earlier comment on Monday, explaining he meant networks and broadcasters can address news distortion issues voluntarily.
He noted that if they do not, someone can file a complaint with the FCC, which then must adjudicate that complaint. – Reuters