'They give bad publicity, press': Should TV networks lose licences for criticising Trump? US president says 'maybe'

US President Donald Trump said on Friday (October 05) some TV networks should have their licences "taken away", as he backed America's broadcast watchdog in a row over the suspension of late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, President Trump accused television networks of being biased against him. “I have read some place that the networks were 97% against me, again, 97% negative, and yet I won and easily [in last year’s election],” he said. “They give me only bad publicity [and] press. I mean, they’re getting a licence. I would think maybe their licence should be taken away,” he added.

Why was Jimmy Kimmel taken off air?

ABC has suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel “indefinitely” after comments he made about the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. Kimmel suggested the suspect may have been a Trump supporter, but officials later said he was “indoctrinated with leftist ideology.” ABC pulled the show after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), led by a Trump appointee, warned of possible regulatory action.

What exactly did Kimmel say?

In his monologue, Kimmel, 57, accused Trump allies of trying to spin the shooting for political gain. He said the “MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and compared Trump’s reaction to the killing to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.” Kimmel later condemned the attack and expressed “love” for the Kirk family.

How has the FCC responded?

FCC chair Brendan Carr called Kimmel’s comments “the sickest conduct possible” and warned broadcasters could face action if they did not intervene. “We’re going to continue to hold these broadcasters accountable to the public interest, and if broadcasters don’t like that simple solution, they can turn their licence in to the FCC,” he told Fox News. Carr praised Nexstar Media, one of the largest station owners, for dropping Kimmel’s show. Nexstar is currently seeking FCC approval for a $6.2bn merger with Tegna.

Former President Barack Obama criticised the Trump administration, saying it had taken cancel culture to a “new and dangerous level” by using regulatory threats to silence journalists and commentators.

Kimmel’s suspension has drawn support from other late-night hosts. On a special episode of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart mocked Trump’s leadership, calling himself a “patriotically obedient host” of an “administration-compliant” programme. He referred to Trump as a “dear leader” who had been “gracing England with his legendary warmth and radiance.”