Trump threatens to revoke the license of
any television network that negatively covers his news
US President Donald Trump has announced he will revoke the broadcast licenses of networks that passively cover his news, a day after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show indefinitely.
"They're just giving me bad publicity or bad media coverage," Trump said of the broadcast networks on his return flight from London. "I mean, they're getting a license, and I think maybe it's time to revoke their license."
"It's up to Brendan Carr," FCC Chairman Brendan Carr added.
Trump's comments reportedly
came after the ABC News "Jimmy Kimmel Live" incident, in which the show was suspended due to comments by the host linking Charlie Kirk's killer to the "Make America Great Again" movement.
Trump explained to reporters:
"If we go back in time, I think they haven't received any governors in years, as someone said, but when we go back in time and take a look, all they do is hit everything related to Trump.. They are licensed, but they are not allowed."
In a social media post
Wednesday evening, Trump praised ABC's decision, saying, "The network's other comedians, NBC's Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, should also be taken off the air."
The US Federal Communications Commission issues eight-year licenses to individual broadcast stations, many of which own and operate television networks.
The Authority confirms on
its website that
- "the First Amendment and the Communications
- Law explicitly prohibit the Authority from imposing
- censorship on broadcast materials". She also points out that
"the Authority's role in supervising content on broadcast waves is very limited".
This isn't the first time Trump
has floated the idea of revoking broadcast licenses. Last month, he said that "NBC and ABC publish 97% of the bad stories about me," and that he would be "totally in favor" of revoking their FCC licenses.
After ABC stopped Jimmy Kimmel's show..
Trump calls on NBC to stop Seth Myers show
The US President called on NBC to
stop journalist Seth Meyers' show, as ABC did with Jimmy Kimmel's show
after it sparked controversy over its comments
about the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Trump said:
"Good news for America:
- Jimmy Kimmel's show
- which was in question about viewership
- has been canceled".
Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what needed to be done. Kimmel has no talent, and his viewing rates are worse than Colbert.
"I call on NBC to end the Seth Meyers show
as ABC did with Jimmy Kimmel," he added.
Lindsey Graham
commented on the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel's show, saying: "The political activism behind the comedy is neither effective nor funny. The desire to destroy Trump overshadowed the desire for entertainment.
Nexstar Group issued
a statement about the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel's show
saying:
- "Nasdaq-listed Nexstar Media Group with the symbol NXST
- announces that its owned and partner television stations
- affiliated with ABC Television Network
will stop broadcasting
"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" In the foreseeable future, starting with tonight's show. Nexstar strongly objects to Mr. Kimmel's recent comments regarding the murder of Charlie Kirk, and will replace the program with other programs in its ABC markets.
The Chairman of the Federal Communications
Commission considered this a very serious problem for Disney.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday urged local broadcasters to stop broadcasting "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on ABC.
He noted that the committee may open an investigation, and that broadcasters may be fined or have their licenses revoked if there is a pattern of distorted comments.
It is noteworthy that
the well-known
American right-wing activist Charlie Kirk died on September 10 from his wounds after being shot during events held by the activist at a university in Utah.