FCC Chair Issues Warning to ABC Over Jimmy Kimmel's Remark About Suspect in Charlie Kirk Assassination Incident
In a recent development, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman, Brendan Carr, has issued a warning to Jimmy Kimmel, the host of ABC's late-night talk show, over comments made about the suspect in the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
During his monologue, Kimmel made a remark about the suspect, Tyler Robinson. Carr, however, has taken issue with these comments, stating that they could be interpreted as a justification for broader censorship and control.
Carr, who is a staunch advocate for the public interest, believes that broadcasters, who hold licenses granted by the FCC, have an obligation to operate in the public interest. He has suggested that he has authority over the programming content due to this public interest standard.
The FCC has long had restraints on broadcasters, including regulations on indecency, obscenity, commercial content in children's programming, and broadcast news distortion. However, the FCC's website states that it has limited legal authority and cannot interfere with the right of free speech by means of broadcast communication.
This is not the first time Carr has taken action against broadcasters. He has kept open investigations, including a complaint against 60 Minutes over the way that it edited an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Interestingly, one group in particular, the Center for American Rights, has been filing FCC complaints over broadcast content. In a similar move, Skydance agreed to hire an ombudsman to take complaints over CBS News as part of its merger with CBS-parent Paramount Global.
The FCC typically launches investigations against a broadcaster after receiving a complaint. In this case, it remains to be seen whether the FCC will launch an investigation into Kimmel's comments. ABC and Disney, the parent company of ABC, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, Carr's comments have received pushback from Anna Gomez, the sole Democrat on the FCC. Gomez has criticised Carr's comments, stating that they are a justification for broader censorship and control.
In a separate development, Robinson, the suspect in the assassination of Charlie Kirk, was charged with the crime along with a series of other charges. According to Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray, Robinson's mother said her son had become more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro-gay and trans rights oriented. When Robinson's father asked him why he did it, Robinson explained that there was too much evil, and the guy, referring to Charlie Kirk, spreads too much hate.
In a podcast appearance on Benny Johnson's show, Carr called Kimmel's comment 'some of the sickest conduct possible.' Carr defended his remarks, stating that Jimmy Kimmel's conduct is the problem, not the calling of it out. The FCC's website, however, encourages responsive 'counter-speech' from others, stating that the public interest is best served by permitting free expression of views.
As the situation unfolds, the FCC's potential action against Jimmy Kimmel's comments continues to be a topic of discussion and debate.
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