Trump celebrates Jimmy Kimmel's suspension, advocates for penalizing broadcasters with opposing views
Protesters gathered outside a Hollywood studio to voice their disapproval over the suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!". Laura Brenner, one of the demonstrators, expressed her concerns, stating, "This country is going in a really wrong direction. When people can't make fun of the administration, you know that we're really going down a dark road."
The decision to suspend the show was announced by ABC/Disney, with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Dana Walden reportedly making the call. The move followed conservative uproar over Kimmel's Monday monologue.
The controversy surrounding Kimmel stemmed from his involvement in the effort by President Donald Trump and his supporters to punish critics of assassinated right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to investigate Kimmel's commentary about Kirk.
The suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" has sparked a wave of criticism, with the American Civil Liberties Union labelling it an unconstitutional attempt by the Trump administration to "silence its critics and control what the American people watch and read." Writers' and actors' labor unions also denounced the targeting of Kimmel as an unconstitutional attack on the right to disagree.
President Trump has been vocal about his displeasure with broadcasters, suggesting that their licenses should be taken away over negative coverage of his administration. However, federal law prohibits the FCC from revoking a broadcaster's license for negative coverage or other speech disliked by the government.
Two of the largest owners of local broadcasters - Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group - responded to Carr's urging by announcing they would stop airing Kimmel's show. This decision affected ABC's eight local TV channels subject to FCC licensing, including broadcasters in the major markets of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia.
At the Hollywood demonstration, motorists honked their horns in support as protesters spilled out from the busy sidewalk and into the streets. The outpouring of grief among fans included those who saw Kimmel as a staunch advocate for public debate and conservative values, while others challenged or derided his support for right-wing politics and Christian nationalism and his derogatory comments about immigrants, African Americans, and transgender people.
Former President Obama urged media companies not to capitulate to government coercion. The debate over freedom of speech and the role of media in a democratic society continues to unfold, with many questioning the implications of the suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on the broader landscape of free speech in the United States.
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