Lever Time The Real Reason Jimmy Kimmel Was Pulled From Late-Night
Sep 18, 2025
Craig Aaron, Co-CEO of Free Press and a local TV ownership expert, teams up with Matt Stoller, an authority on antitrust issues, to dissect the troubling trends in corporate media. They discuss how the recent cancellations of Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel reflect deeper issues of corporate power and regulatory pressures under the Trump administration. The duo also explores the chilling effects of media consolidation on creativity and free speech, while suggesting practical ways to combat these trends and promote independent media.
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Late-Night Firings Follow Regulatory Timelines
- Major media firings of Trump critics (Colbert, Kimmel) have a common thread tied to corporate power and regulatory timing.
- These actions suggest corporations alter speech to curry favor with the administration.
FCC Threat Then Local Stations Preempt Kimmel
- Brendan Carr publicly warned ABC after Jimmy Kimmel's comments and hinted at using FCC power.
- Nexstar then preempted Kimmel, linking station actions to pending merger approvals.
Regulatory Leverage Shapes Content Decisions
- Nexstar and Disney moves show corporate decisions can be driven by regulatory leverage, not content alone.
- Companies seek to preemptively align with regulators to secure mergers and rule changes.
