This past week, American broadcasting giant ABC abruptly suspended its show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” starring late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. This follows comments made by Kimmel during his show’s monologue which touched on the recent killing of conservative political activist, Charlie Kirk.
“I think it is very interesting that his show is being suspended,” senior Francesca Lauterbach said. “Though I do think the situation could have been handled with more grace,”
Information regarding the decision to suspend Kimmel’s show has not been released by ABC or its parent company, the Walt Disney Company. Furthermore, the network has not yet stated whether Kimmel’s show will return to the air in the near future. This leaves fans of the show feeling nervous as they hope for its swift return, according to sophomore Beatrice Yung.
“I was really surprised to hear that his show has been suspended indefinitely,” Yung said. “I wonder if it will start airing again.”
The suspension of Kimmel’s show reflects ongoing tension between networks and the Federal Communications Commission which “regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states” according to their website FCC.gov. Furthermore, all networks are required to receive a license from the FCC before airing any programs on television.
Over the years, broadcast television has declined in popularity, making up only 20% of TV viewership compared to streaming which now makes up over 45%, according to Nielsen Data. This has caused networks to move away from broadcast television as it becomes less and less profitable, leading to the cancellation of shows due to financial decisions. Many Convent students were both surprised and sad by the suspension of the Kimmel show, according to junior Aaliyah Recinos.
“I know a lot of people who watch his show regularly,” Recinos said. “I think it’s sad that it’s been suspended.”
These events follow the cancellation of another late-night talk show: “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” which occurred earlier this summer in July. Some Convent students question whether these cancellations may be politically motivated, a sentiment felt by Lauterbach.
“Overall I think Charlie Kirk’s death is quite tragic, and I believe that political violence is never okay,” Lauterbach said. “This situation calls into question the right to free speech in the US.”
