Position Paper #1: Crisis Public Relations

     

Introduction 

Disney and their sister company, ABC, recently came under fire after they decided to suspend the Emmy award-winning late-night television show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, after host Jimmy Kimmel made what some considered a controversial statement about the gunman who killed right-wing activist, Charlie Kirk, during his opening monologue. 

We often see late-night talk show hosts take on reported information during their opening monologues in a satirical way, and many take a more liberal stance. However, in today’s political climate, there is a large push against the media not to make negative comments about political figures. This particular decision escalated into a full-blown crisis for Disney and its affiliates, with a push from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and boycotts from the public, media figures, celebrities, and more.

The Incident

On September 15th, 2025, Jimmy Kimmel started his late-night show as he always does, with a satirical monologue that touched on politics and current events. In this particular case, Kimmel commented on the gunman involved in the incident with Charlie Kirk, host of The Charlie Kirk Show and Chief Executive Director of Turning Point USA. 

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” – Jimmy Kimmel

Kirk was shot during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10, 2025, while debating mass shootings in the United States. The gunman, Tyler Robinson, was reported to come from a “right-wing, gun enthusiast family”. 

Conservative media outlets were furious over Kimmel’s comment, claiming that Kimmel was mocking the dead.

Affiliate & Regulatory Pressure

Affiliates of Disney and ABC claimed that due to Kimmel’s remarks, viewers and advertisers were concerned and threatened to pull their advertising. Nextstar Media Group, one of the affiliates, is said to be in a $6.2 billion merger with Tegna, which requires FCC approval, which leaves people wondering if this is why Nextstar pressured Disney and ABC into this decision. 

In a comment from the Chairman of the FCC, Brendan Carr, on a podcast, he said, “This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

Other Cases

A similar situation occurred with Stephen Colbert and CBS, and their parent company, Paramount, decided to cancel The Late Show with host Stephen Colbert. While the company said it was due to financial reasons and the show's declining performance, many believe it is linked to Colbert’s statements on Paramount settling a legal battle with President Donald Trump with a $16 million donation to President Trump’s future presidential library after the President accused journalists from the show 60 Minutes of editing a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris.

“I believe this kind of complicated financial settlement with a sitting government official has a technical name in legal circles: it’s 'big, fat bribe,'" Colbert said on The Late Show.

 

Political Involvement

It is due to these two cases that Hollywood stars and advocacy groups stated that the suspension of Kimmel was censorship, and going directly against the first amendment which states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” 

Many also believe that this was a direct cause of statements and actions by the President due to his hostility towards media outlets. Since the President took office in January 2025, he has attacked any outlet that shares any negative speech towards him or calls him out on anything he may say that is false. After the cancellation of The Late Show, President Trump commented, “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!” which suggests that the President may have had something to do with the suspension of Kimmel, as well as Colbert.

Free Speech Defense

Since Kimmel's suspension, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has penned a letter saying, “We the people must never accept government threats to our freedom of speech. Efforts by leaders to pressure artists, journalists, and companies with retaliation for their speech strike at the heart of what it means to live in a free country.” The letter also directly defends Kimmel and suggests that the government threatened a private company with retaliation. The letter currently has nearly 50,000 signatures, including over 400 Hollywood names, such as Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and Jennifer Aniston. 

Hollywood stars and political figures, from both sides of the aisle, took to social media to publicly condemn and defend Kimmel, including Disney's Frozen actor, Josh Gad, saying, "Hey Disney, that guy on the right has done more for your company than most entertainers. You have a very clear choice right now, and it’s not the one you’re making." and Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who said “I think it is unbelievably dangerous for government to put itself in the position of saying we’re going to decide what speech we like and what we don’t, and we’re going to threaten to take you off air if we don’t like what you’re saying,”

Consumer Boycott

Not only did Hollywood take a stand against Disney, but people from around the world began cancelling their Disney, HULU, and ESPN subscriptions in a boycott of the company and their actions. By September 20th, Disney’s market capitalization had dropped $6.4 billion. 

 

Disney's Response

Disney chose to be reactive and stated that Kimmel was not fired, but put on an indefinite suspension with no clear end date. Sinclair Broadcasting, ABC’s largest affiliate, also demanded that Kimmel apologize and make a sizable personal donation to Turning Point USA for his statements. 

On September 22, 2025, Disney announced that Jimmy Kimmel would be returning in the following statement: “We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.” However, Sinclair Broadcasting and Nextstar Media Group remained firm on their suspension. 

Jimmy Kimmel's Response

On September 23, 2025, Kimmel returned to his stage to a lengthy standing ovation and cheers from the crowd and addressed the controversy head-on during his opening monologue. Visibly emotional, Kimmel gave the following statement:

"It's important to me as a human, and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don't think there's anything funny about it, nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual. That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make. But I understand that to some, that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both. And for those who think I did, point a finger, I get why you're upset. If the situation was reversed, there's a good chance I'd have felt the same way."

He spent the rest of his monologue explaining the importance of being able to express our right to free speech and mentioning that media and talk show hosts across the aisle have agreed that limiting the First Amendment is anti-American, including the censorship of satire.

"I've had the opportunity to meet and spend time with comedians and talk show hosts from countries like Russia, countries in the Middle East, who told me that we get thrown in prison for making fun of those in power, and worse than being thrown in prison... Our freedom to speak is what they admire most about this country. And that's something I'm embarrassed to say I took for granted until they pulled my friend Stephen off the air. That's not legal, that's not American, that is un-American"

 

Conclusion 

The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! reveals the impossible balancing act companies face in today’s polarized climate. Disney’s reactive response may have shielded affiliate relationships in the short term, but it left the company vulnerable to charges of censorship and consumer backlash. While Kimmel’s apology allowed him to manage his personal reputation, Disney’s brand was left strained, as the reversal of its earlier decision reinforced the image of a company struggling to balance free speech with corporate responsibility. 

The lesson for crisis PR is clear: companies must weigh institutional pressure against public trust, and they cannot afford to appear indecisive. In moments of controversy, clarity and consistency matter more than attempting to please everyone.