Some TV networks should have their licenses revoked: Trump

A controversy has erupted in the United States over the announcement of ABC host Jimmy Kimmel's show to be indefinitely suspended. Expressing his opinion on the matter, US President Donald Trump has said that some TV networks should have their licenses revoked.

Disney-owned ABC decided to indefinitely suspend comedian Kimmel's show Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday (September 17) evening after Kimmel's comments on the murder of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist close to Trump, were criticized.

On Monday (September 15) broadcast, Kimmel indicated that Kirk's suspected killer could be a 'MAGA (Make America Great Again) Republican'. However, Utah authorities said that the arrested suspected gunman, Tyler Robinson, was 'indoctrinated with leftist ideology.'

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warned of action over Kimmel's comments. ABC later pulled the show, the BBC reported.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on his way back from the UK after a state visit, President Trump said, "I read somewhere that 97 percent of the TV networks are against me. And yet I won the last election easily. They just do negative propaganda. And they get licenses. I think their licenses should be revoked."

On the show, Kimmel, 57, also said that MAGA supporters were desperately trying to "get political mileage" out of Kirk's murder. He also mocked Trump's reaction, saying, "It's like a four-year-old grieving over the death of a goldfish." However, Kimmel later condemned Kirk's murder on Instagram and expressed his condolences to the victim's family.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Fox News, FCC Chairman Brandon Carr said that the issue is not over with Kimmel's removal. In his words, we will hold the broadcast media accountable to the public interest. And if someone does not like this solution, they can return their licenses to the FCC if they want.

The FCC can regulate major networks and their affiliates. But they do not have the power to regulate cable channels (such as Fox or MSNBC) or podcasts and streaming platforms. Legal experts say that the First Amendment of the US Constitution does not allow a license to be revoked based on political differences to protect freedom of speech.

In this situation, Nexta Media, one of the largest TV station owners in the US, announced that they would not air Kimmel's show in the near future. According to them, Kimmel's comments about Kirk were "offensive and harmful to the national political debate." ABC also announced that it would cancel the show on the same day.

FCC Chairman Brandon Carr praised Nexta's decision. He expressed hope that other broadcast media will follow suit. It is worth noting that Nexta is currently seeking approval from the FCC for a $6.2 billion merger deal.

On the other hand, many American writers, actors and even former President Barack Obama have strongly criticized the cancellation of the show. Obama said that the incident has taken the culture of excluding someone for differences of opinion to a dangerous place.

CBS host Stephen Colbert also stood by Kimmel, saying that this is blatant censorship. You can't give an inch to a dictatorship. However, in July, CBS announced that Colbert's show would not be renewed for the next season.

However, not everyone is taking a stand for Kimmel. According to Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, when someone is punished for making rude and insulting comments, it is not cancel culture, but the natural result of their actions.

Similarly, late-night Fox host Greg Gutfeld said that Kimmel deliberately tried to mislead and blamed his political opponents for Kirk's murder.