The Business Decision Behind Taking Jimmy Kimmel Off Air - DNyuz
By: DNyuz
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Jimmy Kimmel’s indefinite suspension from ABC is the latest example of companies seeking to placate the Trump administration. Two companies that together own about 70 ABC affiliates said that they would pull Kimmel’s show. One of them is Nexstar, which is trying to buy Tegna for $6.2 billion — a deal that requires approval from the F.C.C. We’ve seen something like this before: Paramount settled a lawsuit filed by President Trump, and then received approval for its sale to Skydance.
Trump supporters say that the Biden administration forced companies like Meta to censor some content, including about Covid. But this feels quite different: Companies are now pre-emptively censoring — or “canceling” — people who they fear will upset the president. What do you think?
The Kimmel campaign
Jimmy Kimmel is off the air “ indefinitely ” after comments by the late-night host about the person accused of killing Charlie Kirk drew blowback from two major owners of ABC affiliates and the head of the F.C.C.
It’s perhaps the most dramatic example of businesses and employees taking hits for commenting on the Kirk killing — and, more broadly, being on the wrong side of the Trump administration.
How Kimmel was suspended: Comments he made on Monday about Tyler Robinson, who is accused in the Kirk killing, led to heated criticism by right-wing activists who said that Kimmel had mischaracterized Robinson’s politics.
That crescendoed on Wednesday when Brendan Carr, the F.C.C.’s outspoken chair, said on a podcast that Kimmel’s remarks were part of a “concerted effort to lie to the American people” — and that his agency was “going to have remedies that we can look at.”
Then Nexstar and Sinclair, two big owners of local TV stations, said they would suspend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (Of note: Nexstar is seeking to buy a rival, Tegna, for $6.2 billion, a deal that needs F.C.C. approval; Sinclair is known for its conservative leaning.)
The decision to take Kimmel off the air came from the top at Disney. Bob Iger, the company’s C.E.O., and Dana Walden, its television chief, made the call, according to The Times. Disney’s relations with important affiliate owners were reportedly a factor: The Wall Street Journal adds that Nexstar’s announcement weighed on executives’ deliberations.
That said, The Journal reports, Disney may begin re-airing Kimmel’s show in the coming days.
The Trump administration and right-wing activists might not stop with Kimmel. In applauding Disney’s decision last night, President Trump appeared to encourage NBC to cancel the late-night shows of Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. NBC’s owner, Comcast, has already called on employees to “do better” in promoting civil dialogue after an MSNBC political analyst, Matthew Dowd, suggested that Kirk’s “awful words” led to his shooting. (Dowd was later fired .)
Meanwhile, employees at several other companies have also been suspended or fired for commenting on Kirk’s death. “When you see someone celebrating Charlie’s murder, call them out” and “call their employer,” Vice President JD Vance said recently.
A big concern: The Trump administration and its allies haven’t been shy in putting pressure on public enterprises — including banks , law firms and other media companies — for perceived offenses. (This includes The Times .)
The administration’s attack on Kimmel has drawn sharp criticism . But the appetite of corporate America to push back remains in question.
So more extortion from the Trump administration. Pull Kimmel or your merger wont be approved.
The other company that controls the affiliates is Sinclair. That would be the media company that forced its local affilate news anchors to read pro Trump propaganda during his first administration.
[✘] The fool was pulled by the corporate bean counters because his ratings were in the tank, and he was a business detriment to them
Spouting unfunny lies has real life consequences
As of September his was the 3rd highest rated late-night show but that's not saying much as the entire group of late-night shows has been dying off. They are no longer nearly as popular as they were and with costs increasing it could be getting harder to keep advertisers. Here's an interesting take that actually seems to look at this issue from a centrist point rather than a partisan point.
The 5 FACTS you need to know about the Jimmy Kimmel cancelation situation
I guess you didnt read the seeded article. There is nothing in there about ratings.
The seeded article also didn't tell us that the sun comes up in the East. It's a simple fact that ratings for late-night TV has been dropping over time and definitely for the late-night talk shows. My comment was directly against Greg's in that I showed that Kimmel was actually the 3rd highest rated late-night TV talk show but that's not saying much. It was only a month ago when another late-night talk show was pulled due to cost overruns and the inability to gain or even retain high-dollar advertising.
Are you suggesting that this abrupt suspension is based on ratings rather than buckling to the FCC to allow a pending acquisition?
They didnt pull Kimmel off the air because of his ratings, period. That is the excuse you conservatives are falling back on.
If he makes the proper kind of forced groveling apology that gets approved by Trump he will be back on.
The seeded article and other news stories today say it was because of two companies that own most of the affiliates , the one that needs Trumps approval for a merger acquisition , and one that is already pro MAGA.
The right is bs'ing about this in high gear today, because they know it is not defensible.
Why would the largest owner of ABC affiliates care about another company's acquisitions?
It's like you didn't even read my post. Do you deny that late-night talk shows have been experiencing rating drops over the past couple of years? Do you deny that this also translates into lower advertising rates while over time the cost of running such a show continues to climb. I didn't discount what was in the seeded post about two companies involved and one of them wants a merger that will need approval from the Administration, so what? Kimmel lying coupled with Trump's disapproval (for years by now, it's not new) coupled with lower ratings for all late-night talk shows, add in how people are getting their entertainment these days as just watching TV isn't the draw it once was, and add in the increased costs of running such a TV show and DAMN, it just becomes a business decision.
The idea that Kimmel was suspended because of ratings is not what is being reported outside of the right wing media ecosphere.
Nexstar is the 2nd largest owner of ABC affiliates, and it is the one trying to acquire Tegna. If the acquisition goes through, it becomes the largest owner of ABC affiliates.
Nexstar's acquisition of Tegna requires special approval by the FCC. FCC Chairman Carr made it clear that not acting on Kimmel would factor into the approval decision. Nexstar dropped Kimmel to protect the acquisition. ABC relies upon Nexstar stations and reacted in turn to avoid more backlash and government problems.
You should already know at least this much if you are going to engage in this thread.
And again you ignore my post and respond with your opinion. Guess we're done as you refuse to discuss.
You are arguing that Kimmel was suspended due to ratings. JR noted that this is NOT what is being claimed by most analysts who are not kowtowing to Trump.
That was a direct response to your post.
Basic summary of what is taking place here:
Nexstar is the 2nd largest owner of ABC affiliates, and it is the one trying to acquire Tegna. If the acquisition goes through, it becomes the largest owner of ABC affiliates.
Nexstar's acquisition of Tegna requires special approval by the FCC. FCC Chairman Carr made it clear that not acting on Kimmel would factor into the approval decision. Nexstar dropped Kimmel to protect the acquisition. ABC relies upon Nexstar stations and reacted in turn to avoid more backlash and government problems.
You ignore the threat by Carr, Trump's repeated desire to see Kimmel off the air, the current pending acquisition that requires approval by Carr, etc. and just claim that Kimmel's extemporaneous mid-season suspension was due to ratings.
Utter absurdity.
And Kimmel did not lie in his statement. Show the lie!
Since when do patriots support the idea of government censoring free speech?
I havent seen a single news story about kimmel saying he was fired for low ratings, other than from conservative leaning media. I dont know what there is to discuss with them.
Of course not, the idea that Kimmel was extemporaneously suspended mid-season due to ratings is preposterous.
Another example of how far Trump supporters will twist themselves into pretzels trying to defend the corrupt buffoon.
And I didn't say ratings were the sole reason, however JR has been saying that it was solely due to pressure from the Trump administration. You and he ignore that ratings played a part because ratings for late-night talk shows has been decreasing over the past few years.
Being locked into a sole reason in order to blame the Trump administration is no way to go thru life. There are many pieces to all of this.
Now back to ignore you go.
You did not have to. You made an argument, and that argument pointed to ratings as the predominant reason for an abrupt suspension. That makes zero sense, but that is what you did.
Instead of this 'back to ignore' game (as if anyone gives one shit if you place them on ignore and deny yourself the ability to reply to rebuttals), I suggest you keep me on ignore. Ignore does not work if you keep toggling it on and off (a ridiculous activity).
Kimmel's contract expires in May 2026. He has publicly stated that he wanted to retire and do other things.
Jimmy Kimmel hints at retiring from talk show: 'I think this is my final contract' - ABC News
Options.
Either way, he's only pissed because this chapter didn't end the way he wanted and he really has no control over it.
Take the money and run Jimmy, run.
Forgotten in this brazen assault on our 1st Amendment rights is the collateral damage on all the anonymous people that are suddenly out of work. The working man gets trampled on again in the gutless corporate obedience to this authoritarian regime.
They work in Hollywood so they dont even count as Americans to Trump.
I’m weirdly relieved to see that there’s more to this than just knee-jerk cancel culture. What we’ve got here is some good old fashioned corruption. The government is weaponizing the FCC to force media companies to broadcast content that supports the government. And the media corporation is willing to do it so they can make more money.