California Senator Threatens to Break Up Sinclair Over Decision to Keep Jimmy Kimmel Off the Air — FCC Chair Responds

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Okay, so this whole thing with Jimmy Kimmel‘s show is getting seriously messy. It started with a temporary suspension, but now it’s turned into a full-blown political showdown! A California state senator, Scott Wiener, actually went on X (formerly Twitter) and threatened Sinclair Broadcast Group because they’re *still* refusing to air ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on their ABC stations, even though Disney decided to bring the show back. It’s crazy to see a late-night talk show become a battleground for this kind of fight!

Wiener expressed eagerness to dismantle Sinclair, arguing that the increasing consolidation of corporate media is harmful to democracy. He pointed out that while Sinclair doesn’t seem to support democratic principles, the majority of people do.

The hypocrisy in that post was striking, and many people noticed it immediately. For the past week, Democrats have been strongly criticizing the Trump administration for allegedly being involved in the removal of Jimmy Kimmel, and now a California politician is threatening to do the exact same thing, all while claiming to be defending democracy.

The comment immediately drew strong criticism, particularly from FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who claimed Democrats were being openly hypocritical and twisting the facts in their responses.

Sinclair’s Stand Against Kimmel

Following Disney’s announcement that Jimmy Kimmel would be back hosting his late-night show, Sinclair Broadcasting made a contrasting decision. The company stated it would still replace *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* with news programs on its local ABC stations.

Starting Tuesday night, Sinclair will stop airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC stations and instead broadcast news programs. We’re still talking with ABC about the possibility of bringing the show back in the future.

— Sinclair, Inc. (@WeAreSinclair) September 22, 2025

Starting Tuesday night, Sinclair will stop airing *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* on its ABC stations and instead broadcast news programs. The company says they are still talking with ABC about the possibility of bringing the show back at a later date.

So, even though Disney has given Jimmy Kimmel the go-ahead to return, Sinclair isn’t changing its position. They previously said they wanted Kimmel to apologize to the Kirk family and donate a significant amount of money to Turning Point USA, and he hasn’t done either of those things.

Currently, the stations owned by the affiliate group won’t be broadcasting the program. This is a significant instance of local TV stations demonstrating their independence from the major networks, and it sparks debate about who holds the most power in television: the companies creating shows, or the stations that reach viewers in each community.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr Responds

FCC Commissioner Carr strongly criticized Senator Wiener’s recent statements. In a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), Carr accused Democrats of using misleading tactics and misrepresenting facts.

And there it is.

On Kimmel, the Democrats are engaged in nothing more than Projection and Distortion.

It’s ironic to hear accusations of wrongdoing, considering Democrats have a history of using government power to suppress opposing viewpoints. They seem poised to repeat this pattern, as they are already openly…

— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) September 23, 2025

Carr’s full statement can be read below:

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s show, Democrats were accused of hypocrisy. The claim is that they’re falsely accusing others of wrongdoing – specifically, using government power to suppress opposition – when they themselves have a history of doing the same thing, and plan to continue doing so.

The claims being made are misleading because Democrats are trying to find someone other than Disney and its local TV stations to blame for Kimmel’s suspension. Ultimately, those companies made the decision to suspend him, and that’s what the reports clearly show.

This is a significant moment because it’s rare for local TV stations to challenge a major network like Disney. It’s a positive development, as we want local stations to have more control. Ultimately, local stations – not national networks – are responsible for serving the public interest, and they should be the ones deciding what their communities need. I discussed these points in more detail yesterday at Concordia, and you can find my remarks below.

-FCC Chairman Brendan Carr

Carr’s point highlights a key issue with media: local TV stations aren’t just simple channels. They have a duty to their local viewers and the right to decide if national broadcasts go against that duty.

The Bigger Picture

The most noticeable thing about this situation is the clear hypocrisy. While progressives frequently criticize large corporations for dominating the media, their outrage here isn’t focused on Disney’s power, but on a local TV station daring to act independently.

Sinclair’s decision reveals a fundamental conflict: Disney and ABC aim to control what’s shown across the country, but local TV stations, particularly those not owned by Disney, have the power to override that control. This power was recently used, and the strong response from Democrats like Wiener demonstrates how quickly accusations of undermining ‘democracy’ arise when a story doesn’t align with their views.

Bottom Line

The issue with Jimmy Kimmel’s show is now bigger than just his suspension. It’s become a battleground where local TV stations, large media companies, and politicians are all trying to use the situation to their advantage and push their own goals.

If Sinclair doesn’t back down, it could significantly shift the power dynamic between local TV stations and the national networks that depend on them. Plus, with the FCC involved, the dispute over Jimmy Kimmel Live! might lead to major changes in how broadcast television operates, extending far beyond just late-night shows.

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2025-09-23 19:02