BREAKING: Jimmy Kimmel says ABC will not air his interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico after FCC pressure.
Here’s a polished, more news-style version. I’ve attributed the claims about FCC pressure to Kimmel rather than presenting them as independently established facts. Reuters confirms the interview is being moved from ABC to YouTube.
FCC applies its equal-time rules to late-night and daytime talk programs.
Kimmel said the decision was made partly out of consideration for ABC affiliates, particularly stations in Texas that could face regulatory concerns over airing the interview.
“In the America we live in right now, that is the best that we can do until November,” Kimmel said.
The interview itself is not being canceled. Instead, the full conversation with Talarico will be made available online, allowing viewers to watch it outside the traditional broadcast network.
The situation also follows a similar episode earlier this year involving Talarico and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. CBS did not broadcast that interview amid concerns surrounding FCC equal-time requirements, and the conversation was subsequently released online.
The latest decision has renewed debate over how federal broadcast regulations affect political interviews on entertainment programs, particularly during an election year.
Kimmel says the interview will still reach viewers — just not through ABC’s television broadcast.
