Fresh off his crusade against Jimmy Kimmel and ABC, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission may eliminate TV station ownership limits in a potential gift for station owners like Sinclair and Nexstar.
When FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened ABC affiliates with license revocations for carrying Jimmy Kimmel’s show, he said that national networks exert too much control over local TV stations and that he’s trying “to empower local TV stations to serve the needs of the local communities.” Taking a cue from Carr, Sinclair and Nexstar continued blocking Jimmy Kimmel Live! on their ABC affiliates even after ABC and its owner Disney ended Kimmel’s suspension.
Within days, Sinclair and Nexstar decided to put Kimmel back on the air. Pressure from viewers and advertisers likely played a major role in the reversal. But for Carr, the episode might reinforce his belief that station groups should have more influence over national programming.
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