Kimmel to air Senate candidate interview on YouTube amid FCC threats

TV host Jimmy Kimmel announced that an upcoming interview with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico will be exclusively aired on YouTube, bypassing his ABC television show due to perceived threats from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Kimmel stated on his show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, that for over 20 years, he and other late-night hosts have interviewed political candidates without issue. However, he believes "something has changed" under the Trump administration's FCC, which he claims has threatened him, his show, and ABC affiliates over editorial decisions and guest bookings.

The move comes after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr previously threatened to revoke ABC station licenses for "news distortion" and ordered an early license review for all eight ABC-owned TV stations. The FCC has also initiated a proceeding to examine whether ABC's "The View" should continue to be exempt from the equal-time rule for political interviews.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, the commission's only Democrat, criticized the FCC's actions, stating the agency "has no lawful authority to threaten broadcast licenses over guest bookings or editorial decisions" and that such pressure undermines press freedom. Disney, ABC's owner, filed a lawsuit against the FCC in August, alleging violations of its First Amendment rights and seeking to prevent the commission from using guest bookings as a basis for non-renewal of broadcast licenses.

Kimmel explained that the decision to move the interview to YouTube was made out of consideration for local stations, particularly ABC affiliates in Texas, who could face "nonsense" from the FCC. He expressed gratitude for the YouTube platform, calling it "the best that we can do" in the current environment.