This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4qe0rz2zvo

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Trump says TV networks 'against' him should 'maybe' lose licence after Kimmel suspension Trump says TV networks 'against' him should 'maybe' lose licence after Kimmel suspension
(about 4 hours later)
Watch: Trump suggests FCC should revoke licenses from networks covering him negatively Watch: Ros Atkins on… What Jimmy Kimmel being taken off air means for free speech in the US
US President Donald Trump has suggested some TV networks should have their licences "taken away", as he backed America's broadcast regulator in a row over the suspension of ABC host Jimmy Kimmel. US President Donald Trump has suggested some TV networks should have their licences "taken away", as he backed America's broadcast watchdog in a row over the suspension of late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel.
The Disney-owned network announced on Wednesday evening it was pulling the comedian off air "indefinitely" amid a backlash over his remarks about the murder of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk last week. ABC has pulled the comedian off air "indefinitely" after his remarks about the murder of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk in Utah last week.
On Monday, Kimmel appeared to suggest the suspect was a Maga Republican, although authorities in Utah had said the alleged gunman was "indoctrinated with leftist ideology". Kimmel appeared to suggest the suspect was a Trump supporter. Officials, however, have said he was "indoctrinated with leftist ideology".
ABC took Jimmy Kimmel Live! off air after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) threatened action over his remarks. ABC axed the show after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) headed by a Trump appointee, threatened regulatory action - raising concerns the Trump administration is curtailing the free speech of its critics.
Brendan Carr's emboldened FCC takes on Trump's media foes Trump spoke about the issue to reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday while returning from a state visit to the UK.
Trump spoke about the issue to reporters on Thursday aboard Air Force One while returning from a state visit to the UK. "I have read some place that the networks were 97% against me, again, 97% negative, and yet I won and easily [in last year's election]," the president said.
"I have read someplace that the networks were 97% against me, again, 97% negative, and yet I won and easily, all seven swing states [in last year's election]," the president said. "They give me only bad publicity [and] press. I mean, they're getting a licence. I would think maybe their licence should be taken away."
"They give me only bad publicity, press. I mean, they're getting a licence. I would think maybe their licence should be taken away." In his monologue on Monday, Kimmel, 57, had said the "Maga gang" was "desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them" and trying to "score political points from it".
In his monologue on Monday, Kimmel, 57, said the "Maga gang" was "desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them" and trying to "score political points from it".
He also likened Trump's reaction to the death of his 31-year-old political confidant to "how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish".He also likened Trump's reaction to the death of his 31-year-old political confidant to "how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish".
After the shooting, Kimmel had also gone on Instagram to condemn the attack and send "love" to the Kirk family. Kimmel has condemned the attack and sent "love" to the Kirk family in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
Speaking to Fox on Thursday, FCC chairman Brendan Carr said the suspension of Kimmel was not "the last shoe to drop". The FCC's chair, Brendan Carr accused Kimmel of "the sickest conduct possible" and said firms like the Disney-owned ABC could "find ways to change conduct and take action... or there's going to be additional work for the FCC".
"We're going to continue to hold these broadcasters accountable to the public interest," he said. FCC chair Carr told Fox on Thursday: "We're going to continue to hold these broadcasters accountable to the public interest - and if broadcasters don't like that simple solution, they can turn their licence in to the FCC."
"And if broadcasters don't like that simple solution, they can turn their licence in to the FCC." The FCC has regulatory power over major networks, such as ABC, as well as the local stations that carry their content. Owners of local stations can also influence major networks by refusing to carry shows.
The FCC has regulatory power over major networks, such as ABC, and their independently-owned affiliates. Watch: Trump suggests FCC should revoke licenses from networks covering him negatively
But the agency has limited authority over cable channels, like Fox or MSNBC, and no authority over podcasts or most streaming content. Kimmel's suspension was announced shortly after Nexstar Media, one of America's largest TV station owners, said it would not air his show "for the foreseeable future" as his remarks had been "offensive and insensitive".
Legal scholars say the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects free speech, would prevent the FCC from lawfully revoking licences on the basis of political disagreement. Carr praised Nexstar - which is currently seeking FCC approval for a $6.2bn (£4.5bn) merger with another media company, Tegna - and said he hoped other broadcasters would follow its lead.
Watch: Jimmy Kimmel "appeared to mislead the public", says FCC chairman Sinclair, the largest ABC affiliate group in the US, said it would air a special remembrance programme dedicated to Kirk during the Jimmy Kimmel Live! time slot on Friday.
Joe Strazullo, a late-night writer who worked on Jimmy Kimmel Live! from 2015-21, told the BBC in Los Angeles there was an atmosphere of fear in the writers' room. Kirk died of a single gunshot wound to the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University on 10 September.
"It's heartbreaking to see the threat of them being out of work," he said. "I've touched base and nobody knows exactly what's going on still and they're working things out behind the scenes." A 22-year-old man was charged with aggravated murder on Tuesday. Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty.
Kimmel's suspension was announced on Wednesday evening shortly after Nexstar Media, one of the biggest owners of TV stations in the US, said it would not air his show "for the foreseeable future". Legal scholars say the US Constitution's first amendment, which protects free speech, would prevent the FCC from revoking licences over political disagreements.
Nexstar called his remarks about Kirk "offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse". But Joe Strazullo, a former Jimmy Kimmel Live! writer, told the BBC there was an atmosphere of fear in the writers' room.
Carr praised Nexstar - which is currently seeking FCC approval for a $6.2bn (£4.5bn) merger with Tegna - and said he hoped other broadcasters would follow its lead. "It's heartbreaking to see the threat of them being out of work," he said. "Nobody knows exactly what's going on still and they're working things out behind the scenes."
Sinclair, the largest ABC affiliate group in the US, said it would air a special remembrance programme dedicated to Kirk during the original time slot for Kimmel's show on Friday.
Kirk, a high-profile conservative activist and father-of-two, died of a single gunshot wound to the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem on 10 September.
His widow, Erika Kirk, was named on Thursday as the new head of the organisation her husband co-founded, Turning Point USA.
A 22-year-old man was charged on Tuesday with aggravated murder, and prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty.
Watch: How the Jimmy Kimmel saga has unfolded, so farWatch: How the Jimmy Kimmel saga has unfolded, so far
Writers, actors, former US President Barack Obama and other prominent Democrats condemned Kimmel's suspension. Writers, actors and prominent Democrats have condemned Kimmel's suspension.
Obama said the incident represented a new and dangerous level of cancel culture. Former US President Barrack Obama said the Trump administration had taken cancel culture to a "new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like".
"After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn't like," he posted on X. Late-night show hosts have rallied around Kimmel.
Actor Ben Stiller said it "isn't right", while Hacks star Jean Smart said she was "horrified at the cancellation". In a rare mid-week episode of The Daily Show, comedian Jon Stewart poked fun at the curtailing of free speech under the current administration.
"What Jimmy said was free speech, not hate speech," she added. Stewart described himself as a "patriotically obedient host" and his programme as "administration-compliant". He then referred to Trump as "dear leader" who has been "gracing England with his legendary warmth and radiance".
On Thursday, the hosts of late-night shows on rival networks rallied behind Kimmel. In a later segment of his show, Stewart interviewed Maria Ressa, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for her fight for free speech and democracy in the Philippines under former President Rodrigo Duterte.
"This is blatant censorship," Stephen Colbert on CBS said. "With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch," he said referring to Trump, whom he frequently criticises. What's happening in the US is "identical to what happened in the Philippines," Ressa said. "It's both deja vu and PTSD."
"Jimmy, I stand with you and your staff 100%." She added: "Americans are like deer in headlights. If you don't move and protect the rights you have, you lose them, and it's so much harder to reclaim them," she said.
In July CBS announced it would not renew The Late Show With Stephen Colbert for another season. Actor Ben Stiller said what happened to Kimmel "isn't right", while Hacks star Jean Smart said she was "horrified at the cancellation".
The Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild, two Hollywood labour unions, condemned the suspension of Kimmel as a violation of constitutional free speech rights. "This is blatant censorship," Stephen Colbert said on his rival show on CBS. "With an autocrat, you cannot give an inch."
But others argued it was accountability, not cancel culture. CBS announced in July that it would not renew Colbert's show for another season, saying this was due to financial pressures.
"When a person says something that a ton of people find offensive, rude, dumb in real time and then that person is punished for it that's not cancel culture," said Dave Portnoy, who founded media company Barstool Sports. The Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild, two Hollywood trade unions, condemned the suspension of Kimmel as a violation of constitutional free speech rights.
But others have maintained the FCC and ABC acted appropriately.
"When a person says something that a ton of people find offensive, rude, dumb in real time and then that person is punished for it, that's not cancel culture," said Dave Portnoy, who founded media company Barstool Sports.
"That is consequences for your actions.""That is consequences for your actions."
Late-night Fox host Greg Gutfeld argued that Kimmel had "deliberately and misleadingly" blamed the killing of Kirk on the activist's "allies and friends". Late-night Fox host Greg Gutfeld argued that Kimmel had "deliberately and misleadingly" blamed Kirk's "allies and friends" for his death.
British presenter Piers Morgan said Kimmel had "lied about Charlie Kirk's assassin being Maga" and his comments caused "understandable outrage all over America". British presenter Piers Morgan said Kimmel had caused "understandable outrage all over America", adding: "Why is he being heralded as some kind of free speech martyr?"
"Why is he being heralded as some kind of free speech martyr?" he added. But one of Carr's FCC leadership colleagues, commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrate, criticised the regulator's stance.
But one of Carr's FCC leadership colleagues, commissioner Anna Gomez, criticised the regulator's stance on Kimmel.
She said that "an inexcusable act of political violence by one disturbed individual must never be exploited as justification for broader censorship or control".She said that "an inexcusable act of political violence by one disturbed individual must never be exploited as justification for broader censorship or control".
Listen to Americast on BBC Sounds: Is the Trump administration clamping down on America's first amendment protection of free speech?Listen to Americast on BBC Sounds: Is the Trump administration clamping down on America's first amendment protection of free speech?
BBC News used AI to help write the summary at the top of this article. It was edited by BBC journalists. Find out more.BBC News used AI to help write the summary at the top of this article. It was edited by BBC journalists. Find out more.