@yestestvennaya There is a purposed merger. That merger is overseen and can be stopped by the FCC. The chair is a Trump appointed position. He's on record, about the merger, saying we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Days after Colbert was fired, merger approved. Days after Kimmel fired, merger approved. These were two separate deals, only the later connected to Disney. So no, it's not congress. The first amendment protects us from all of the government. The FCC chair is an agent of the government. That should clear it up.
At a press conference in the UK this week, Trump said Kimmel was fired because (quote) "he's not funny and was losing ratings." Trump knows that's not the reason, but for him to say that it shows he DOES recognise he's on very dodgy First Amendment territory by calling for broadcast licences to be withdrawn. He didn’t say Kimmel was fired for his comments regarding Kirk, but for the more benign reason of (supposedly) loss of ratings. Anyone who doesn't see this as an authoritarian clamp down on free speech is deluding themselves. TV companies and media outlets are reading the room. They are frightened of repercussions. The USA is becoming China and Russia. First Amendment rights are being denied.
late night talk shows are losing ratings, with viewership for major shows like "The Tonight Show" and "The Late Show" significantly lower than their peak in the past, even as some individual episodes see brief increases. A 2024 report indicates a substantial decline in overall viewership, though individual episodes may see temporary spikes, and audience engagement has shifted to digital and social platforms.
You could say that Brendan Carr has pressured Disney. And? Joe Biden and his administration compelled the tech companies to ban covid-19 “misinformation.”
Misinformation that was only information. Information we should see.
the First Amendment protects individuals and groups from government censorship, not from actions by private entities like corporations. While corporations have their own First Amendment rights, particularly in political and commercial speech, these rights allow them to control speech on their own platforms and property, rather than obligating them to host others' speech.
@pdockal OK I get it. Basically it's up to Trump to cancel the companies he feels are criticising him because they are not prtected under the First Amendment. That is why Kimmel has been cancelled, and Kirkdean is allowed to advocate for the murder of 1 million homeless people with impunity.
@wishforthenight By the way - and please fact check me on this - but I believe not long after kilmeade said that, someone did kill some homeless people?
Y'all made everyone online who said we didn't believe in Russia Gate just disappear. That's like nine years ago, Dems! Lolz. You and Bannon are doing the thing!
