As I wrote a few times, we cannot smooth a single movement in the open competition on major societal institutions obeying or resist the diktats of Trump administration. But Sinclair Broadcasting has just announced that they ended their “preemption” of the program Jimmy Kimmel. Even their own statement clearly seems to indicate that even if they have requested ABC / Disney concessions, they did not have one.
Sinclair is of course the most ideological of the two corporations of possession of affiliation. Nexstar’s angle seems more transactional, although its leadership also seems to be Trumpy beyond. So why did it happen? I have no direct knowledge. We should not read too much in a single decision in this drama. It is possible that the White / Brendan Carr House sent a word that they wanted to go from this specific fight. The more likely explanation is that, unlike most of Sinclair’s past Gambits, it is very visible. He highlights the fact that this large company plays games with what you are allowed to see. Most people know there is a local ABC affiliate. They know that there is an ABC network. They have little sense, there are these intermediate companies that can call these blows. And this involves major influential and influential cities – Washington, DC, Seattle, Portland, St Louis out of a total of 40 stations.
This is another example that you want these problems to be engaged in the most visible way and affect people outside of normal political conversation.
