Scrutiny on ABC’s Programming Suggested by FCC Commissioner
On Thursday, Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Kerr indicated that ABC’s content might be scrutinized next. This comes after Disney’s ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely on Wednesday, following Nexstar Media Group’s preemptive action across ABC affiliates due to remarks related to Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Kerr expressed concerns over whether some daytime and late-night programs could qualify for the FCC’s “Authentic News Program” exemption under the Equal Opportunity Rules. “I think it’s worth looking into the FCC and some programs that exempt you from the equal opportunity regime that Congress has put in place,” he mentioned.
He pointed out that certain political talk shows might be taking advantage of regulatory loopholes that allow authentic news programs to bypass equal broadcast time requirements. “When you watch these other TV shows, the FCC has a rule called the Equal Opportunity Rules. Yet, there’s an exception for what’s considered a genuine news program. If you are a genuine news program, you don’t have to comply with those rules,” Kerr stated.
Kerr noted that while the FCC traditionally oversees most late-night shows, he considers “Saturday Night Live” to qualify as a genuine news program. He suggested that perhaps “The View” could also fit that category, though he wasn’t entirely certain.
During a monologue on Monday night, Kimmel criticized the “Magagang,” arguing that they had brought the situation to a “new low” by attempting to frame the suspect as “something other than one of them.” He remarked about the sadness felt over the flag being flown at half-staff by the White House on Friday.
In line with this narrative, “The View” co-host Ana Navarro remarked that those who mourned for Charlie Kirk seemed to overlook what she deemed “inflated rhetoric.” Notably, she mentioned that even Republican Spencer Cox had acknowledged Kirk’s contentious speech, although he also noted Kirk’s Christian faith and emphasis on forgiveness.
