Kimmel cancellation renews questions about free speech

President Trump has said for years that he wants Jimmy Kimmel off the air.

Now, ABC and its parent company Disney have put the show on indefinite hiatus.

One key player here is the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr.

Today he applauded ABC’s decision, posting on X, “Broadcast TV stations have always been required by their licenses to operate in the public interest.”

Kimmel’s cancellation reopens questions about free speech, the role of the FCC, and the relationship between the commission and the White House.

NPR political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro and former FCC chairman Tom Wheeler shed some light on those questions.

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This episode was produced by Alejandra Marquez Janse and Marc Rivers, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane and Tiffany Vera Castro.

It was edited by Megan Pratz and Sarah Handel.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.

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