By David Shepardson
Kimmel noted that for decades talk shows have been free to interview political candidates without being subject to those rules. Trump has repeatedly urged broadcasters to drop comedy or news programs he dislikes, or which have joked about or criticized him or his administration. He has also called on the FCC to strip stations of licenses after criticizing news and other programming. Broadcast stations need FCC licenses to use public airwaves. critics say the threat of losing a license can pressure broadcasters and raise concerns about government interference in editorial and programming decisions While license revocations are extremely rare. Networks have broad First Amendment protections over programming choices.
WASHINGTON, Sept 10 – ABC late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel said an interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico on Thursday will air on YouTube and not during the network broadcast, citing threats from the Federal Communications Commission. In February, former CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert said the network’s lawyers barred him from airing an interview with Talarico on his show and instead aired it on YouTube, where it has been seen more than 9.5 million times.
In January, the Republican-led FCC said that daytime and late-night TV talk shows are no longer considered “bona fide” news programs that are exempt from equal time rules that require them to give airtime to opposing candidates. “Now that he is president, his FCC threatened me, threatened our show, threatened our network ABC, our affiliates, our local stations, based on simple traditional editorial decisions – guest bookings it would seem they don’t like,” Kimmel said on Wednesday’s broadcast. “The FCC has no lawful authority to threaten broadcast licenses over guest bookings or editorial decisions,” Gomez said. The FCC is also investigating ABC daytime talk show “The View,” which discusses U.S. politics, after saying it is subject to the equal time rules following an interview with Talarico in January. Disney said that since February the program has not invited any political candidates to appear, citing the FCC’s “pressure campaign.
