When Late Night Comedy Becomes a Political Bargaining Chip
Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was suspended this week by ABC affiliates. On the surface, it might look like a programming spat. But look closer, and the real story comes into view: this was about appeasing regulators while a massive media merger hangs in the balance.
Kimmel’s supposed offense? A passing joke about Donald Trump’s indifference to tragedy, pointing out that the former president seemed more focused on polishing his ballroom than grieving with the nation. It wasn’t a rant, it wasn’t incendiary — it was the kind of pointed but mild humor late-night comedy has always traded in. Yet even that was too much, because one of the largest station groups in America has something much bigger at stake.
The Merger at Stake
Nexstar Media Group, already the largest local TV owner in the U.S., is trying to acquire TEGNA Inc. If approved, this merger would give a single company effective control over stations that reach nearly 80% of American television households. That’s more than double the FCC’s legal cap of 39%. (https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/6-bln-broadcast-tie-up-adjusts-ma-picture-2025-08-20/)
On paper, the deal violates existing rules. But in practice, approval comes down to the FCC — and right now, the agency is sending signals that media companies must play ball politically if they want their mergers rubber-stamped. The FCC chair has already hinted, on record, that critical coverage could draw extra scrutiny. That’s not regulation — that’s intimidation.
So when Nexstar affiliates threatened to pull Kimmel, ABC buckled. Not because of ratings. Not because of content. But because the company needs goodwill with regulators while the merger is under review.
Why the Merger Is Bad for Americans
Even if the politics weren’t involved, this merger would be a disaster for the public.
Fewer voices. One company controlling such a huge share of the market narrows the range of perspectives available to viewers.
Higher prices. With fewer station owners, advertisers and content producers face less competition and more leverage. Those costs don’t vanish — they’re passed on to consumers.
Weaker journalism. Local stations have already been hollowed out by corporate consolidation. Investigative reporting is expensive, and big chains have little incentive to fund it. Viewers end up with syndicated fluff instead of accountability.
Unfair leverage over competitors. Disney, which owns ABC, loses bargaining power when a single company can dictate so much of the broadcast landscape.
In short: consolidation doesn’t benefit the public — it benefits the owners.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t really about Jimmy Kimmel. It’s about the future of the American media landscape, and whether corporate deals can proceed only if companies silence critics of those in power.
If consolidation continues unchecked, and if regulators reward companies for political obedience, then Americans won’t just face higher prices and fewer programming choices. They’ll face a news environment where dissent is quietly scrubbed out — not by law, but by corporate calculation.
That’s not healthy competition. That’s not a free press. That’s censorship through consolidation.
What We Can Still Do
The good news is this deal is not done yet. Nexstar and TEGNA only announced their agreement in August 2025, and closing isn’t expected until well into 2026. That means there is still time — time to shine a light on what’s happening, time to push back, and time to stop it.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Watch your local news. If your station is owned by Nexstar or TEGNA, pay attention to the ads running during the broadcasts.
Call the advertisers. Let them know you won’t support their business if they continue funding companies that silence critics to curry political favor. Money talks.
Make it public. Post about it. Share which advertisers you called. Build pressure in the open.
Don’t stop at local TV. Nexstar directly owns or controls The CW, The Hill, NewsNation, and WGN Radio. Advertisers there are fair game, too — they’re funding the same machine.
Send a message to Disney. If you want to go further, cancel your Disney+ subscription, or cancel that Disneyland or Disney World trip — and post about it. Disney owns ABC, and they also need to know that playing along with this is unacceptable. There’s also some hope here as this deal isn’t great for them long-term, either.
Push Congress. Demand stronger antitrust protections, not weaker ones. Media consolidation should be rolled back, not rewarded.
This timeline gives us an opening. If the public looks away, the merger will slide through, and we’ll wake up with 80% of American TV households controlled by a single company. But if we act now — if we make noise, pull dollars, and demand accountability — we still have a chance to stop it.