| rhon... | This is the work of a dictator and his henchmen. |
| andr... | Even the way this question is written is leading. Define "controversial content" – do you mean content that is not government-approved? Free speech is guaranteed by the first amendment. |
| lora... | Yes, we need to make media accountable. They should be brought up on charges for making slanderous comments and name calling. Clinton passed a law when he was president that media cannot be sued for what they say or do. this is wrong, if the media makes false claims they should be held accountable. Same goes for politicians who call Republicans nazis, bigots, deplorables etc. |
| bfph... | He lied outright about a heinous murder on national TV. Society should not allow callous devisive behavior without accountability. Yes, he can say it if he wants, but his employer, and the public can appropriately reject this behavior. Good riddance Jimmy |
| drtm... | Specifically for inciting violence or death threats. |
| chri... | You worded the question to assure both answers are bad. The FCC has been corrupted by Trump to act as a retaliatory enforcer of censorship. Kimmel was respectful and mild. Go vendor Bannon and other true hate media. |
| lasa... | Freedom of Speech is the base of our democracy. Without this, those in power will be able to freely do as they please, ignoring what is wanted and needed by the people. |
| jeff... | This move was not just about free speech. Trump has been trying to get rid of Kimmel for years. This is just another example of Trump using coercion, bullying and threats to get what he wants. Despicable and disgraceful. |
| lsto... | We have freedom of speech, but companies are free to fire employees. |
| jman... | For all the egregious, horrible and harmful lies and misinformation offered daily with no accountability on social media, it seems laughable that broadcasters should not have some rights to express opinion without fear or favor. And by what standards is it determined that something is controversial at all? |
| rose... | Everyday, freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution are trampled. Who are these people? |
| lori... | I believe the anger of people could be diffused if it was not allowed or ok to have negative political remarks. Consequences are important. Thank you Disney for seeing the light |
| hbro... | There is free speech and there is hate-filled lying. Kimmel is the latter. Countless conservatives, and even moderates, were cancelled for much less during the Biden years. The media and entertainment industries’ propaganda is why the world is such a mess and divided. |
| mori... | The irony of an administration that is doing everything from aggressively erasing the history of slavery to lying about Jan 6th and non stop stating on public TV stations the incorrect assertion that Trump won the 2020 election...is astounding. These are not just controversial. They are lies. Yet we have tolerated them because free speech is fundamental to what America is |
| elle... | most news would be off the air under these conditions |
| elan... | It infringes on free speech, but there should be some accountability on what is a publicly accountable platform like a major network. Social Media is the real culprit for this kind of reaction tho. If so much hate wasn't being spread so freely on social platforms I believe the repercussions here wouldn't have been so severe. They are trying to control what they can, but Social Media is what needs to be changed from its current form. |
| beck... | His show was so left based along with Colbert. The left has gotten so very negative and aggressive. Both shows were one sided. The dems need to wake up and play right as they are losing and might not come back. Yes, make jokes as they have plenty of material from both sides. |
| gwal... | People should be held accountable for their actions. Liberals are the ones who think they can do whatever they want and not face any consequences! |
| gsum... | The 1st amendment...hello???? It's division over unity..it's my way or the highway...it is difficult to watch our freedoms slowly slipping away! |
| adel... | Kimmel, as a citizen like the rest of us, has a right to comment on events, incidents, political climate. He just happens to have a larger audience than we do to voice his opinion. To retaliate against him by suspension or termination is in-American. Kirk was allowed to voice his opinions to a large audience, so why can't Kimmel voice his opinions? |
| john... | If controversial content never got aired, we would have never heard of Charlie Kirk in the first place. |
| cica... | Yes, Mr. President free speech isn’t just you getting to say what you wanna say. Free speech is for everybody to say what they want to say. Not just you. |
| boda... | Jimmy told a flat-out lie about the shooter's motive, and he knew it. Actions have consequences. His constant one-sided bashing of Trump has become incredibly predictable, and his ratings have tanked. There's also a business component to his getting pulled - two major station affiliates had informed ABC they would no longer air his show due to lousy ratings and his insensitive comments about Charlie Kirk. |
| bren... | I wish news would simply give the facts. I don’t watch to get someone’s opinion. Let me draw my own opinion. |
| dave... | Kimmel’s comments don’t warrant his censorship or dismissal. The parent company is pandering to Trump’s bullying and to further their acquisition agenda. |
| trag... | Kimmel was suspended and likely fired because he uses comedy to make fun of Trump and his policies. That is what comedy does and public figures need to take it in stride. I see this particular move as part of a wider effort to silence dissent and establish a more authoritarian government. I think the FCC can call out certain speech and advise against its content if is offensive or inflammatory, but to threaten serious consequences if the speaker isn’t fired is extortion and the strong arm of an authoritarian regime. |
| hine... | One thing is to say “i disagree with you” in a peaceable manner, versus “I’m glad he’s dead because of what he said”. The first is what i think the majority would consider the purpose of free speech and the latter incites hatred and disrespect for human life. The very next part of the first amendment sentence is the right to demonstrate peaceably which clearly states the intent about how differences are to be worked out and communicated further supporting human life rights and not the unacceptable actions against a human’s right by supporting bad acts. |
| husk... | I can not believe that this wasn’t a 100 percent NO. First it’s Colbert and now Kimmel. What has happened to free speech? |
| brad... | They should enforce it against Fox News and other right-wing outlets that spew nothing but lies. |
| cand... | It is hard to understand how some people can speak so ill of another person being murdered but we need to be very careful about the FCC regulating what is considered controversial topic and attitudes. |
| walk... | Your question was phrased too lightly for the issue in article. There are boundaries of human decency and championing the brutal murder in cold blood of someone you disagree with philosophically is morally corrupt. |
| nrpe... | Over misleading content? Hasn’t anyone heard of Fox News? |
| spr.... | Our current president and followers define free speech within their own terms. We have a president that employs insulting and contentious rhetoric, which is defined within the category of “freedom of speech”. Prayer to the Kirk family, yet the freedom of speech should allow others to challenge his political beliefs. |
| cath... | there was nothing wrong with Kimmil's comments. He didn't denigrate Charlie Kirk. He spoke truth which didn't fit the narrative of the current administration/ |
| rach... | Providing false information and making someone’s death (regardless of political viewpoint) an opening joke should be have consequences. |
| tubi... | of course its overstepping. in this instance especially, since it has to do with a merger that must be allowed. theyre spinelessly bending the need and kissing dumb donald the petty-file's ass to assure the merger goes through in spite of any rules or regulations. |
| erin... | You say you’re unbiased but your questions and multiple choice are so misleading. You cannot yell fire in a crowded auditorium and your questions should be less limiting and less judgmental. I don’t think this is an unbiased email and thinking of discontinuing. |
| lmoo... | we get controversial content everywhere including on broadcasts that are not censored |
| nanc... | In what universe would this be acceptable? First Colbert, now Kimmel, and tRump is now threatening Jimmy Fallon and Seth Myers’s. SNL will be next. This is censorship, pure and simple. |
| tplo... | Kimmel’s comments were not controversial, they were unethical and intentionally inaccurate. We should expect the media to provide accurate information particularly about a murder. |
| 19wi... | Selective enforcement based on political pressure is unacceptable and a violation of our 1st amendment rights. |
| wolf... | He did not even say anything offensive. His comment was about politics and not about the actual assassination. |
| hone... | Accountability is necessary in matters of facts and news reporting but in matters of opinion (like Jimmy’s statements which were clearly opinion based not factual) this is infringement on free speech |
| cger... | Ha! I bet your Progressive Leftist readers who responded NO had nothing to say as FACEBOOK & YAHOO were censoring and refusing to post comments from those that disagreed with the Progressive agenda. Now that a Progressive Propagandist is caught lying to the American people on a National platform it's wah, wah, wah! |
| cdzu... | Free speech is important.As long as it is not hate speech. |
| tjor... | Kimmel's comment was far from controversial and demonstrates a blatant leverage move for media mogules. |
| cham... | USA is turning into an Autocracy under Trump. |
| pari... | He’s not news media. |
| kidk... | Our rights continue to be taken away. Little by little the constitution is being ignored. Where does it end? |
| csbr... | Ironic that the ones complaining about free speech, are the same ones trying to penalize others for their free speech. My favorite are the willfully ignorant who continue to use the radical or lunatic left as some kind of corndog battle cry. Tearing up on the white on white crime that they have normalized. Nobody morns folks who advocate racism and bigotry, except for racists and bigots. Cry harder, beetches. |
| kvas... | This is unbelievable. If only the Maggot heads could read, they would understand that this is 1984 (the book, Maggot heads, not the year) coming to reality. |
| mich... | Not only that, but Kimmel was not commenting on the assassination itself, only on the reaction to it from certain individuals including the President. Be careful how you characterize the issues. |
| jlda... | I don't like that people are being silenced. |
| jlcg... | Why on brodcasters only, and not newspapers, magazines , socisl media, podcasters? Who should be the referee of what is "controversial"? It's a slipery slope |
| mcoo... | Plus conservatives do it all the time with no consequences. |
| usct... | I did not stay up to watch Kimmel or Colbert. However, they have the right to free speech even when it may be a sarcastic take down of those in power. They have the right to their opinions just as Kilmeade has the right to suggest we use lethal injections on homeless folks. And they have the same right as Congressman Jackson has to say we should lock up transgender folks. They have the same right to make fun of those in power, that those in power have to make fun of others. The speech we must change is that which dehumanizes others and makes them targets. Usually we dehumanize those we disagree with. And often they make up a very small minority segment of our population. That is when we need to call out those who dehumanize others. Even then that speech is protected from federal, state, and local government interference. But be mindful. You and I can be limited in our speech when it comes to employers. They are not bound by the First Amendment when it comes to speech. We should call out limits on free speech and free press whatever the origin. Walk with me as long as you can. |
| mark... | Fox would be off the air if this policy were to be enforced equally. This administration uses threats to squash views or comments they disagree with. |
| bjef... | George Goebbels would have been so proud of this moment. |
| kenh... | Media has never had full integrity. It is not even required in journalism anymore. |
| jtba... | Yet these trump cultists have nothing to say about the unending lies from Fox fake news, OAN, breitbart and Epoch Times. |
| silv... | It appears that the political right is shutting down speach that it disagrees with. Freedom of speech is just that. It shouldn’t be limited to speech that agrees with my beliefs. The targeting of free speech forbods a dangerous precedent and I’m afraid of the consequences. |
| blue... | Kimmel was terminated because his show is losing money for the network. The left is using his suspension as a Free speech issue to muddy the waters and further confuse their weak-minded followers. |
| sara... | Jimmy Kimmels comments were about the administration claiming the murderer was far left and trans before they caught him. They weren’t about Kirk’s death but the administrations reaction to it. These consequences are narcissistic injury. |
| ronr... | Fox News has a long history of knowingly putting forth false information. Is the FCC going to censure them? |
| mitt... | Remember the good old days when the right complained about "cancel culture?" |
| rtet... | The Trump regime is attacking free speech rights. The US is not a one party state like Russia or China. Until the Constitution is repealed, Americans are allowed to express facts and differences of opinion without fear of incarceration. |
| joyo... | More than anything the upcoming changes to media furthers Trumps agenda to silence anyone that goes against what he is doing. He does not like people that are smarter than him hence going after education and universities using whatever excuses he can to accomplish his agenda. Using media to voice opinions is in direct opposition of what Trump wants. We should just believe everything he says. He can call people names and behave disrespectfully but no one else. |
| mdul... | This is just fascinating stuff to watch. Fox News had to settle a lawsuit by paying $750M because they continued to falsely assert that the 2020 election had fraud. All totally false, all proven totally false and eventually the lawsuit's discovery process showed that the network knew it was all false but continued with the lies because they were worried they would lose their audience of Trump supporters. Were they are broadcast license threats? No. Any consequences from a weaponized government in any way? No. Only Trump has weaponized all facets of government to squash any dissenting points of view. What did happen to Fox News? More than 30 of their celebrities have been given senior roles in Trump's government. |
| jlct... | Everyone promoting hate or approving assassinations should be taken to court |
| ansh... | Colbert and Kimmel were not just guys working in a company, saying something that somebody thought was offensive. They are nationally televised comedians who regularly poke fun across the political spectrum. They particularly happened to hate Trump, who’s been the butt of jokes for 40 years. Once the government starts suppressing this kind of speech, tyranny is not far behind. And yes, the FCC, and other Trump appointed officials are the government. Congress doesn’t have to pass a law or be involved in anyway for it to be unconstitutional first amendment violation. |
| jamf... | The media is solely responsible, in my opinion, for the societal divide. As someone who watched Charlie Kirk every day-I am aware that they shared lies about him and promoted hate by taking his comments out of context. Shameful, and viewed by many as a call to violence. |
| sola... | We're turning into a fascist state. We all have the right to free speech. |
| kjla... | Stop this madness |
| vand... | Hate has no place in America |
| jibe... | Freedom of speech is how the USA was built. Trump is getting worst than Putin. This country is going to pot under dictator or king trump. |
| twin... | This censorship attack is aimed at anyone who is opposed to the “dumpster”. He is a disaster! Impeach and get him out of office! |
| dlmo... | How is the first amendment compromised when a comic is censured but not misleading and untrue statements from so -called news outlets! Not in the FCC charter to discriminate like this |
| lind... | If you say anything bad about tRump, he makes you dissappear. He needs to dissappear. |
| kryw... | The FCC is a shill for Trump's authoritarian government. Fox News anchors say dumber shit everyday under the context of Free Speech. |
| co.m... | Misleading and controversial are not the same thing. (Shame on you for asking a misleading question.) Media should not have content that causes their audience to make inaccurate assumptions or conclusions. Let us draw our own conclusions based on facts and accuracy. We’re smarter than you think. |
| andr... | Regulatory bodies should not be used to limit freedoms. This is a bad look for Trump, as he ran on free speech. It is important to note that the Biden administration was also very bad on freedoms, including free speech and freedom to transact (see operation chokepoint 2.0). So it appears that both parties get bad grades on freedom. |
