For years, the lineup of politicians booked for Disney's The View on ABC followed a familiar pattern: high-profile Democratic figures were welcomed onto the ABC daytime show, while Republicans and right-leaning voices often claimed they were shut out. Now, in a sudden...
On this week’s episode of The View, co-host Joy Behar once again took aim at Republicans — this time accusing them of being too afraid to face the show’s panel.
Doctor Who could be a dead show, never to return to the airwaves after a string of creative misses by its two most recent showrunners Chris Chibnall and Russell T Davies. Indeed, The Doctor may have survived Daleks, Cybermen, and the end of time itself — but can he survive modern television?
In a move that surprised even seasoned media observers, Jimmy Kimmel Live! host Jimmy Kimmel has publicly endorsed Disney executive Dana Walden to be the company’s next CEO — just weeks after she reportedly played a key role in his controversial suspension.
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr will appear before the Senate Commerce Committee following remarks about Jimmy Kimmel Live! that ignited a fierce national debate over free speech, political bias, and the role of regulators in modern broadcasting.
“Don’t call it a comeback…” because it isn’t one. Ratings for Jimmy Kimmel Live! have absolutely cratered since the controversial partisan host’s returned to the Disney-owned ABC late-night lineup.
Late-night television staged an unusual crossover this week as Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert appeared on each other’s shows to publicly commiserate about the crises surrounding their programs. On the surface, it was a moment of solidarity. Dig a little deeper, and the spectacle revealed more about the deflection strategies of late-night hosts than about the state of their shows.
Bill O’Reilly has dropped a bombshell about the real reason Disney restored Jimmy Kimmel to the airwaves. Speaking on NewsNation, O’Reilly said the move had nothing to do with free speech or principles of open debate. Instead, he claims Hollywood talent agencies strong-armed Bob Iger and the Disney leadership team into bringing the late-night host back.
Disney and ABC spent much of this week trying to trumpet the big Jimmy Kimmel return to late-night television (after the host spread misinformation about the Charlie Kirk tragedy) as a ratings comeback story. On paper, the numbers for his first night back looked like a victory: roughly 6.3 million viewers tuned in on September 23rd, marking his strongest performance in over a decade. But the spike didn’t last.
The largest affiliate blackout in modern television history has come to an end. Nexstar Media Group, the final holdout in a weeks-long revolt against Jimmy Kimmel Live!, has announced it will restore the late-night program to its ABC stations nationwide. The decision follows Sinclair Broadcasting’s earlier retreat, leaving Disney and Jimmy Kimmel with an unchallenged victory.
Disney/ABC has leverage through its private affiliation contracts (including renewal, termination for breach, and compensation mechanics) in the past, but U.S. rules and long-standing FCC guidance make punitive withholding of other ABC shows a legally risky move.
For weeks, the battle between ABC affiliates and Disney over Jimmy Kimmel Live! has dominated the media landscape. Today, that standoff cracked. Sinclair Broadcasting, one of the largest owners of ABC affiliate stations in the United States, has reversed course and returned Kimmel to the airwaves.
Disney wasted no time blasting out the news: Jimmy Kimmel Live! came back with a ratings bang, drawing 6.3 million viewers for its first episode after suspension. To ABC executives, that number was supposed to send a message — Kimmel still matters. On the surface, it’s an impressive total, especially given the fact that major affiliate groups Nexstar and Sinclair continue to preempt his show. Disney’s talking point is clear: if Kimmel can post these numbers while blacked out in dozens of markets, then he must be indispensable to late-night television.
But the reality is more complicated, and far less flattering.