FCC Chair: Poor Ratings, Not Govt. Pressure, Led to Kimmel Suspension

Government pressure played no role in the suspension of late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said on Monday about the host being taken off the air for comments on Charlie Kirk.

"Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation that he is in because of his ratings, not because of anything that's happened at the federal government level," Carr said at a forum in New York.

A growing number of lawmakers had sharply criticized Carr's comments when he urged Disney and ABC affiliates to take action, saying: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

On Monday, Disney said the show will return to the air on Tuesday after having conversations with Kimmel. The company said last week it had decided to suspend the show "to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country." ABC suspended Kimmel's late-night talk show on Wednesday after Carr warned that local broadcasters who aired Kimmel could face fines or loss of licenses and said "it's time for them to step up."

The owners of dozens of local TV stations affiliated with ABC said last week they would stop broadcasting the show, including Nexstar.

Democrat FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez rejected Carr's suggestion. "This wasn't simply a 'business decision,'" Gomez said Monday. "This regrettable chapter is a stain on the FCC. It was a concerning moment of direct government intervention into business decisions."

Carr sought to clarify his earlier comment on Monday, saying he meant networks and broadcasters can address issues about news distortion.

"If they don't, there's a way that's not as easy - which is someone can file a complaint at the FCC, and then the FCC ... has to adjudicate that complaint," Carr said.