McGovern Demanding Answers from Nexstar on Decision to Preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live

Worcester, MA - Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02) has sent a letter to Nexstar Media Group executives demanding answers about the company's decision to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC-affiliated stations-just as the company seeks federal approval of a $6.2 billion merger with broadcast group Tegna.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr suggested this week that companies behind Jimmy Kimmel Live! would need to "take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead." Shortly after those remarks, Nexstar announced it would no longer air the program. Within hours, ABC parent company Disney suspended the show "indefinitely." Carr later praised Nexstar for "doing the right thing," and former President Donald Trump declared the decision "Great News for America."

"The public owns the airwaves-not the FCC Chairman, not Donald Trump, and not Nexstar," said Congressman McGovern. "Local TV stations have a responsibility to serve the public interest-not advance political vendettas against those who express opinions the government doesn't like. Using the threat of license revocation to strong-arm a network into silencing a comedian is not only corrupt-it's almost certainly unconstitutional. We need answers and accountability about this authoritarian assault on freedom of expression."

McGovern's letter raises constitutional concerns about government officials pressuring private broadcasters to silence voices they dislike, and questions Nexstar's role in preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! while simultaneously asking the FCC to approve a multi-billion-dollar merger.

"At a moment when Nexstar is seeking to consolidate even more power over what communities see on their local news, this incident tells me that they cannot be trusted to act as fair and independent stewards of public airwaves," McGovern said.

McGovern's letter demands answers from Nexstar about whether the decision to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! was made independently or at the direction of ABC/Disney, why these comments in particular led to preemption, and whether Nexstar intends to block other programming that criticizes President Trump, his administration, or conservative political figures.

Nexstar owns WWLP 22 News, the NBC affiliate serving Springfield and Western Massachusetts.

The full text of McGovern's letter is available here.

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