FCC Chairman Critiques Democrats Over Kimmel Suspension
The Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Kerr, has voiced strong opposition to Democrats, accusing them of “distortion” related to the agency’s involvement in the suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s show on ABC.
“There are many Democrats who are engaging in projection and distortion campaigns. Distortion is a complete misrepresentation of what the FCC is actually doing,” Kerr stated during remarks at the Concordia Annual Summit in New York City.
These comments came just before Disney announced plans to bring Kimmel’s show back, after it had initially aired that Monday, in an effort to mitigate tensions that have been heightened during this emotionally charged time in the country.
The decision to pull the comedian provoked immediate backlash. On Friday, Senate Commerce, Transport and Technical Committee Democrats sent a letter asking Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the committee’s chair, to compel Kerr to testify.
In that correspondence, the senator warned that if Carr did not dismiss Kimmel following the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk on September 10, he might leverage the FCC’s regulatory authority against ABC, Disney, and its affiliated networks.
Just last Wednesday, Kerr discussed Kimmel’s remarks with a conservative commentator, suggesting that unless future performances were beneficial for the local community, it might be time to reconsider airing “this trash.”
Two days prior, Kimmel had accused conservatives of opportunistically politicizing Kirk’s death, likening their reactions to a child’s exaggerated mourning over a goldfish.
Shortly after Kerr’s comments, Nexstar Media Group, which owns the media outlet, confirmed that ABC and Disney had decided to indefinitely suspend Kimmel’s show, pre-empting “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on local affiliates. However, on that Monday, Disney announced that Kimmel would indeed return to the air the following Tuesday.
Kerr welcomed this decision, asserting that broadcasters retain the right to choose not to air content that conflicts with public interest, which he believes reflects community values.
On Monday, Kerr downplayed any perceived connection to Kimmel’s suspension, stating that Disney made a “business decision” regarding the comedian’s broadcast.
Nevertheless, his actions have drawn criticism from several quarters on Capitol Hill, including FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez and lawmakers such as Republican Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Cruz.
They argue that broadcast television operates under different principles than other communication forms like cable news or podcasts. If broadcasters hold licenses, they are then subject to certain obligations that align with public interest standards.
The Communications Act of 1934, which established the FCC, specifies that broadcasters must “serve the public interest, convenience and necessity,” while also clarifying that the FCC does not possess the “censorship power” over them.
