KIMMEL SHOW SPIKING IGNITES US POLITICS

US REGULATOR SAYS NETWORK'S DECISION TO AXE OUTSPOKEN HOST SHOWS THE MARKET WORKS

- STORY: KELCEE GRIFFIS / BLOOMBERG

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr said the US media ecosystem is changing, with local broadcasters emboldened to push back against national programmers over content they feel isn’t serving the public interest.

Speaking on CNBC on Thursday, Mr Carr said Nexstar Media Group Inc’s decision to pull late-night comedy host Jimmy Kimmel’s show, was a sign of a “healthy, functioning market”, and indicative of a “much bigger shift that's taking place right now in the media ecosystem”.

Echoing comments that President Donald Trump has made, Mr Carr suggested that networks like ABC are cancelling their late-night talk show hosts because they aren’t drawing audiences, because people don’t like the commentary they're hearing there, not due to any pressure from the FCC or administration.

Walt Disney Co's sudden decision to pull the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show off the air on Wednesday over comments the host made about the person accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, came just hours after Mr Carr berated Kimmel on a podcast and suggested that the regulatory agency could take action against Disney's ABC.