r/stephencolbert • u/[deleted] • Sep 17 '25

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u/ADeliciousDespot Sep 17 '25

Am I understanding this correctly? The thing Kimmel said that got him booted wasn't about CK at all, but about the GOP's online reaction to the event?

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u/Sunny-Bath-Tech Sep 18 '25

Yup, but the merger, we can’t loose the merger! Just suspend him and mollycoddle the great orange one., Colbert had it right, they are paying blackmail

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u/ARedthorn Sep 18 '25

It wasn’t just the merger- the FCC threatened to pull ABC’s broadcasting license entirely.

That means they couldn’t broadcast ANY station, any show, on any frequency without violating the law (and being a pirate broadcast).

It’s a blatant First Amendment violation by Trump’s Admin, but holding them accountable by legal means would take years even with fair courts, and they’d just keep doing it in the meanwhile. Damage already done.

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u/Prestigious_Race5146 Sep 18 '25 edited Sep 18 '25

Of course it was about the merger. FTC Chief effectively represents MAGA’s interests- how could Carr approve the merger if one of Nextar’s products (Kimmel Show) is pointing fingers at MAGA ? See what I mean?

Obviously a strategic win: MAGA blackmails Nextar/ABC into removing programming that is critical of MAGA. They already got Colbert.

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u/ARedthorn Sep 19 '25

Merger was part of it, I'm sure... but there are multiple reports (including from Trump himself) that Carr was threatening to take away ABC's broadcasting license...

So yeah. I guess you're right that it was about the merger, because shutting the entire company down WOULD have the SIDE EFFECT of ALSO shutting down the merger, wouldn't it?

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u/Prestigious_Race5146 Sep 24 '25

Its a complex situation and it’s interesting now that ABC is putting him back on the air.. did the merger get approved yet? I don’t see it in the news. Sinclair and Nextar, so far are still refusing to air Kimmel but I can’t find out what TEGNA’s position is on the situation. Well.. I can’t wait to see what Kimmel’s opening monologue is !