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ABC, owned by Disney, announced on Monday that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to the air on Tuesday, following a short suspension that sparked discussions about free speech, media, and government influence.

In a statement, Disney explained, “Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. We felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. After thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, we decided to resume the show on Tuesday.” The suspension occurred after Kimmel made comments regarding the individual accused of murdering political activist Charlie Kirk, which some conservatives argued misrepresented the alleged shooter’s political views.

The timing of the suspension raised concerns about free speech and potential government pressure, especially after Brendan Carr, the Trump-appointed FCC Chairman, suggested on a podcast that the FCC could intervene if ABC did not address Kimmel’s remarks. Carr stated, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.” The FCC oversees local TV station broadcast licenses.

Later in the week, President Donald Trump indicated that federal regulators should consider revoking licenses for late-night hosts who speak negatively about him. Some TV station groups, including Nexstar, which owns ABC local affiliates, announced they would “preempt” Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future, labeling Kimmel’s comments as “offensive and insensitive.” Andrew Alford, President of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, stated, “Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time.”

Additionally, Sinclair, which owns 38 ABC affiliates, also decided to pull Kimmel’s show from its airwaves. Following the suspension, protests erupted outside Disney’s headquarters in Burbank, ABC’s studios in New York, and the Hollywood studio hosting Kimmel’s show. Various Hollywood unions organized protests, with at least five unions representing over 400,000 workers publicly condemning ABC.

On Monday, pressure mounted as 400 artists and the ACLU signed a letter supporting free speech and condemning the government’s censorship of Kimmel. This situation is not the first instance of tension between the Trump administration and media companies, which have also sought regulatory approval for business deals. For example, Paramount’s recent $8 billion merger with Skydance involved political and media entanglements, with government approval contingent on commitments made to the FCC.

In light of the Kimmel situation, some Democratic lawmakers called for an investigation into Carr, accusing him of engaging in an “illegal and unconstitutional censorship campaign” against broadcasters airing Kimmel’s show. As Kimmel’s contract with ABC is set to expire in May, the future of late-night television remains uncertain, particularly as traditional broadcast viewership continues to decline.

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