The Big Business Behind The Kimmel Suspension

On Friday we learned that according to President Donald Trump, when coverage is negative, "It's no longer free speech." And it seems he's not alone. There's a growing sentiment within the Republican Party, which currently controls the White House and both Chambers of Congress, that actually, free speech doesn’t apply if you say mean things about Republicans. This is all in regards to ABC pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from its usual spot in the nightly lineup, after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said that Kimmel should face repercussions for comments regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. On this episode, we discuss why the suspension of a late-night talk show host isn’t just about a late-night talk show host. It’s about speech, and what you can, and apparently can’t, say on television. To talk more about the media machinations that got Jimmy Kimmel pushed off the air, and the chilling effect of the FCC’s implied threats, we spoke to Brian Stelter, media analyst for CNN.

And in headlines, a federal judge in Florida tosses out Trump’s $15-billion dollar defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, the United Kingdom, Australia, Portugal and Canada formally recognize a Palestinian state, and new H1-B applicants will have to pay an extra $100,000 fee for their visas.

Show Notes:

• Check out Brian's recent story: https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/20/media/trump-kimmel-disney-bob-iger-abc-fcc
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