Kimmel pulled off air after FCC pressure

Summary

ABC indefinitely pulled "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" hours after FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly pressured Disney over Kimmel's monologue about Charlie Kirk's killing. The show returned days later after a free-speech outcry, but the FCC later moved to challenge ABC station licenses.

What happened

On September 17, 2025, ABC suspended Kimmel's show after Carr warned broadcasters could "do this the easy way or the hard way" and threatened license action; affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair dropped the show. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said the agency was "weaponizing its licensing authority." The program returned to ABC on September 23, 2025 amid public backlash; Sinclair and Nexstar restored it on their stations September 26. In April 2026, the FCC ordered early license renewals for ABC's eight company-owned stations; the FCC cited a probe of Disney's diversity practices, while CNN reported the move was widely viewed as retaliation over Kimmel.

Impact on the United States

A broadcast network pulled a host's show hours after the federal regulator's chair publicly threatened license action over his remarks. FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said the agency was "weaponizing its licensing authority in order to bring broadcasters to heel," and ABC and Disney have sued, alleging the FCC's later early license review of ABC stations is First Amendment retaliation.

Documented effects

1. Sep 2025ABC pulled the show within hours of Carr's threat; Nexstar and Sinclair preempted it. It returned to ABC Sept 23, six days later, and to Sinclair and Nexstar stations Sept 26.[1][4]
2. Apr 2026In April 2026 the FCC ordered early license renewals for ABC's eight owned stations, citing a Disney diversity probe; the move was widely viewed as retaliation over Kimmel.[3]
3. Aug 18, 2026ABC and Disney sued the FCC Aug 18, 2026, alleging the early license review is First Amendment retaliation; the FCC asked the court to dismiss the suit in September 2026[5][6]

Why this is rated severe

A national broadcaster pulled a host's show hours after the FCC chair threatened license action, before reinstating it within days; the FCC's later early license review of ABC stations is being challenged in court as First Amendment retaliation.

suspension reversed Sept 23, 2025; FCC early license review of ABC-owned stations continues, challenged in court by ABC and Disney

Corrections & updates [5]

Every change to a fact on this page after publication is logged here, newest first.

1. Sep 29, 2026CorrectedDate

   Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to ABC on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, six days after the September 17 suspension (NPR). The entry had said about five days later. Sinclair and Nexstar stations restored it on September 26.[4]

2. Sep 29, 2026ClarifiedWhat happened

   Clarified the April 2026 action: the FCC ordered early license renewals for ABC's eight company-owned stations and said the review relates to a probe of Disney's diversity practices; CNN reports it was widely viewed as retaliation over Kimmel's show.[3]

3. Sep 29, 2026UpdatedEffects

   On August 18, 2026, ABC and Disney sued the FCC, alleging the early license review is First Amendment retaliation (NPR). The FCC asked the court to dismiss the suit on September 3, 2026 (NBC News); the case is pending.[5][6]

4. Sep 29, 2026UpdatedStatus

   Updated: the status said 'reversed.' The show's suspension was reversed in September 2025, but the FCC's early license review of ABC's eight owned stations, begun in April 2026, is continuing and is being challenged in court by ABC and Disney; the status is now 'partial.' The title, headline and impact text also stated as fact that FCC pressure forced ABC to pull the show and that the speech was legally protected; NPR reported the show was pulled hours after the FCC chair's threat, and the wording now says that, with the First Amendment objection attributed.[1][5][6]

5. Sep 29, 2026ClarifiedSeverity rationale

   The severity rationale called the episode 'censorship' as a matter of fact; it now describes what happened and the pending retaliation claim. Severity unchanged.

   + Show previous and current text- Hide previous and current text

   Previously

   License-leverage censorship of a national broadcaster, briefly successful before reversal.

   Now

   A national broadcaster pulled a host's show hours after the FCC chair threatened license action, before reinstating it within days; the FCC's later early license review of ABC stations is being challenged in court as First Amendment retaliation.

Sources [6]