Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension raises fears of a new censorship era

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/2025/09/18/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-celebrities-react

Kimmel’s suspension was announced hours after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr criticized the comedian and implied that the FCC could retaliate against those who aired him.

Trump, who has complained about being the target of Kimmel’s jokes since long before Kirk’s death, reacted with glee to the show getting pulled.

Later, at a news conference as he visited England, Trump downplayed concerns about censorship. He said Kimmel was “fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else,” and added: “you can call that free speech or not.”

Later, at a news conference as he visited England, Trump downplayed concerns about censorship. He said Kimmel was “fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else,” and added: “you can call that free speech or not.”

And still later, as he flew home on Air Force One on Thursday, Trump suggested networks that give him bad publicity should “maybe” have their licenses taken away. (The FCC regulates local TV station licenses, not networks.)

Kimmel’s ratings were reportedly falling before his suspension. But the biggest owner of ABC-affiliated stations, Nexstar, did not cite ratings in a statement explaining why it pulled his show. The company instead blasted Kimmel’s “offensive and insensitive” comments about Kirk’s death, and said that “continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time.