The recent suspension (and subsequent reinstatement, as of this writing) of Jimmy Kimmel by ABC is a critical turning point for anyone who cares about the Constitutional right to free speech.
The reason for Kimmel’s silencing can be summed up in a famous line from the 1976 film All the President’s Men about journalists Bob Woodward (played by the late Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (played by Dustin Hoffman) investigating the Watergate scandal: “Follow the money.”
In our current political climate, it’s vital to understand the U.S. media landscape, and use that knowledge to act in your own interests. Kimmel’s silencing was initiated by two media conglomerates, Nexstar and Sinclair, owners of hundreds of U.S. television stations between them, including dozens of ABC affiliates. The banning of Kimmel was an act of anticipatory compliance in response to a thinly veiled threat by Brendan Carr, chair of the broadcast regulator the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Carr—expressing the displeasure of his boss, Donald Trump, at some of Kimmel’s comments in the wake of the Charlie Kirk shooting—went on the record to say, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” in regards to ABC removing Kimmel.
Both Nexstar and Sinclair are so large that they cannot legally expand their ownership through mergers because of an FCC rule banning companies from having broadcast access to more than 39% of all U.S. households, in an effort to prevent media monopolies. They are dependent on Carr’s agency changing those rules.
Even if ABC has relented, Sinclair in particular is still advocating for shutting down dissent against the Trump administration, as evidenced by a Sept. 17 press release titled “Sinclair Says Kimmel Suspension Is Not Enough, Calls on FCC and ABC to Take Additional Action.” Sinclair owns three Reno television stations—KRNV (News 4), KRXI (Fox 11), and KNSN (Nevada Sports Net). It is a great time to watch their local broadcasts and list the local businesses that are advertising with them. Call or email those companies, and let them know that you support free speech and a free press. Encourage them to consider their affiliation with companies working to curtail free speech, and to consider no longer buying ads on those stations. Be considerate and compassionate—threatening to boycott a mom-and-pop business shouldn’t be what you’re after, especially on the cusp of a possible recession. The goal is to let these businesses know that local citizens are paying attention.
While ABC may have capitulated after the public outcry over the suspension of its late-night star, pay attention to what Nexstar and Sinclair do in these next few weeks.
It is also important to change your news consumption habits and expectations. The country experienced the shock of a nationally televised (and social media-casted) murder of a public figure, and endures near-constant posturing barrages against norms and laws by the current administration. It is common to crave meaning and instant answers among senseless violence and callous cruelty (the round up and detention of our neighbors without due process, assaults on LGBTQ+ members of our community, the increase of blatantly racist rhetoric, etc.), but the truth takes time. Good journalists require days and sometimes weeks to chase down sources, double-check facts, request records, and put those facts out there accurately and completely. Support journalists and organizations that do this, and amplify their work on your own social media. Don’t internalize new developments as fact. (This is a mistake Kimmel himself made in bringing Kirk’s killer’s affiliations and motivations into the discussion before the information was out there.) Do your own research when you hear new information added to the discussion.
It is a far more responsible (and healthier) practice to begin finding your own sources for accurate, vetted information. Remove your admiration (or disdain) for the speakers, and cross-check information from different sources (and with different slants) to arrive at a deeper, more accurate understanding of the day’s events and how they affect you. Use sites like AdFontesMedia.com, and review the media-bias charts. Rather than paying attention to the bias axis of those charts, focus on how accurate media outlets have proven to be over time, and revisit often to track that accuracy.
Most importantly, support your true local media. Know what outlets have local ownership and connections in the community, and know which are owned by large, national corporations with a far greater interest in pursuing profit than truth—and appeasing those in power to get it.
Mark Maynard is a professor of English and journalism, an author and a filmmaker. He lives in Reno.