From Ars Technica · · 2m
Kimmel moves a Senate interview to YouTube
A late-night host booked a Senate candidate, then pulled the interview off TV to protect the stations that carry him.
In brief
A late-night host booked a Senate candidate, then pulled the interview off TV to protect the stations that carry him. The FCC never had to revoke a license to change what airs. The threat alone moved the interview to YouTube. Originally reported by Ars Technica.
An interview TV won't carry
Jimmy Kimmel booked Texas Democrat James Talarico, who is running for Senate against Ken Paxton. The interview went up on YouTube instead of the ABC broadcast.
“I'll be interviewing James Talarico tomorrow night under unusual circumstances.”
Twenty years of normal
Kimmel has interviewed candidates since the show started, from Hillary Clinton to Ted Cruz to Donald Trump. Letterman, Leno and Arsenio did the same.
“I've been interviewing Americans who are running for office with no problem at all.”
The suspension that started it
Disney briefly suspended Kimmel last year after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened to revoke ABC station licenses for "news distortion" if they kept airing his show.
Eight licenses under review
In April the FCC ordered an early license review for all eight ABC-owned stations, one day after Trump and the first lady called on ABC to fire Kimmel over a joke. The FCC cites DEI rules.
The View went quiet too
After The View aired a Talarico interview, the FCC opened a May 2026 proceeding questioning its news-program exemption. The show has not interviewed a candidate since.
Rewriting the equal-time rule
Talk shows were long exempt from equal-time requirements. In January the FCC told stations to apply the rule to late-night and daytime shows it deems partisan, while leaving conservative talk radio alone.
Colbert hit the same wall
In February, Stephen Colbert said CBS blocked a Talarico interview and posted it to YouTube. CBS denied a ban, saying it only warned the broadcast could trigger equal time for two rival candidates.
Disney takes the FCC to court
Disney sued in August over its First Amendment rights, arguing ABC now has to weigh every candidate booking against its upcoming license renewals, with midterms months away.
“ABC must now evaluate any invitation to a political candidate for its potential consequences.”
The lone dissent inside
Anna Gomez, the FCC's only Democrat, said the agency has no lawful power to threaten licenses over guest bookings and that pressure like this pushes broadcasters into censoring themselves.
“No host, local affiliate, or network should have to weigh federal retaliation before booking a guest.”
What happens next
The FCC asked a court to toss Disney's suit and let a proceeding continue that could end in nonrenewal. Watchdogs fear Disney settles in a way that limits what ABC stations air.
“In the America we live in right now, that is the best that we can do.”
At a glance
The FCC never had to revoke a license to change what airs. The threat alone moved the interview to YouTube.
