Amid growing controversy surrounding the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a brokerage has urged The Walt Disney Company to take drastic action. The firm recommended that Disney shut down all ABC television content and transition entirely to streaming services, citing the volatility of television broadcasting.
This latest development comes in the wake of the scandal surrounding comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s comments about the assassination of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk. After Kimmel mocked President Trump’s response to the news, the backlash was swift, leading to Jimmy Kimmel Live! being pulled from the airwaves last week.
Kimmel’s suspension followed his controversial remarks regarding President Trump’s reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Trump had responded to questions about how he was handling the death by saying he was “very good,” before discussing a new ballroom being built at the White House. Kimmel took issue with this response, mocking the president for his lack of grief. The comedian also remarked that “the MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize” Kirk’s alleged killer “as anything other than one of them.”
The comments sparked a widespread backlash, leading to broadcasting groups Nexstar and Sinclair pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their airwaves. Both groups demanded a public apology from Kimmel and a donation to Kirk’s conservative nonprofit, Turning Point USA, before they would consider airing the show again. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr even hinted at potential investigations into Kimmel’s comments.
Disney’s decision to suspend Kimmel last week ignited a broader public debate on free speech and censorship. People on both sides of the political spectrum criticized Disney for caving to government pressure. As a result, many Disney+ subscribers and Disney Park guests canceled their memberships and vacations, feeling that the company had responded improperly to the situation.
President Trump suggested that Kimmel’s suspension had more to do with his poor ratings than any desire to control free speech. “Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else, and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” Trump said. “They should have fired him a long time ago, so you know, you can call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent.”
In the wake of these events, the brokerage firm Needham recommended that Disney take more aggressive action by shifting its television content away from ABC altogether. According to Reuters, the brokerage firm stated that the rising costs of owning broadcasting licenses, compounded by the threat of government intervention, had made television broadcasting too volatile for Disney shareholders.
“FCC intervention has made owning broadcasting licenses too expensive and too volatile for Disney shareholders, in our view,” Needham wrote in a client note.
At this time, The Walt Disney Company has not responded publicly to the brokerage firm’s recommendation to exit the television business. However, Kimmel returned to the airwaves on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, ABC continues to be embroiled in the ongoing fallout from the late-night television scandal, with a large percentage of American households unable to view the show due to the preemptions by Nexstar and Sinclair.
For those affected by the preemption, clips of Jimmy Kimmel Live! are available on YouTube and ABC’s website, with full episodes available on DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, or Fubo.
Did The Walt Disney Company make the right decision by bringing back Jimmy Kimmel Live!? Share your thoughts with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
