Jimmy Kimmel moved an interview with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico from ABC broadcast to YouTube, the New York Times reported on Sept. 10 after Kimmel said the Federal Communications Commission had “threatened” the network.
In a monologue cited by the New York Times, Jimmy Kimmel said the show decided to publish the full interview on YouTube rather than air it on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” because of what he described as an F.C.C. threat over traditional editorial decisions. The Times article said Kimmel made the announcement during a set on the show and then posted the interview online.
The guest, James Talarico, is identified in reporting as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from Texas; outlets including CNN and PBS described the interview as a response to regulatory pressure from the F.C.C. CNN reported that Kimmel said the interview would air on YouTube, not on ABC, “after threats from the FCC.”
Reporting varied on the agency’s response. PBS’s summary said Kimmel characterized the move as prompted by “regulatory pressure from [the] F.C.C.,” while other outlets noted the claim drew denials or disputes from officials who said the agency did not issue formal orders to block the segment. The New York Times framed Kimmel’s statement as the reason the show published the interview on YouTube.
The episode follows a period of scrutiny for Jimmy Kimmel and his ABC program. Reporting last week documented an earlier temporary suspension of Kimmel’s show by ABC after controversy over his on-air remarks, a development that media coverage linked to elevated scrutiny of the program’s editorial choices.
The move to post the interview on YouTube shifts the distribution away from traditional linear broadcast channels and into an on-demand platform where the interview can be viewed without the network’s scheduled airtime constraints. Media analysts and outlets covering the story described the move as a way to avoid whatever enforcement risk Kimmel suggested would affect ABC’s broadcast affiliates.
How regulators, networks and late-night programs will handle politically sensitive interviews remains an active topic in coverage. When outlets have faced similar pressures in past years, hosts sometimes released content online or on streaming platforms to ensure availability while avoiding potential broadcast restrictions, according to reporting on comparable incidents.
Sources
- The New York Times — reported Kimmel’s decision to move the James Talarico interview to YouTube and quoted his monologue about the F.C.C. “threat.”
- CNN — covered Kimmel’s announcement and described the interview as moved to YouTube “after threats from the FCC.”
- PBS NewsHour — reported Kimmel’s claim of regulatory pressure and summarized differing statements about the agency’s role.
- The Guardian — provided an independent account of Kimmel’s remarks and the decision to publish the interview online.
