I do think politics have helped to accelerate the downfall, though. Specifically, at some point The Daily Show exploded and took away a lot of late night viewers with Stewart’s intelligence and humor and the friendlier time slot for people who have work in the morning, and the networks decided to Daily Show-ify late night when that’s not what these shows are. Like Jimmy Fallon should not be talking about politics unless it’s little silly Jay Leno-type bits. By all means, they can have a political slant, and touch on the news of the day, but the masses do not yearn for even more politics every night around the movie star interviews and live band numbers.
Is Free Speech Under Attack in this Country?
- Thread starter sturg33
- Start date
sturg33
I
Ah man was hoping for the bombshell evidence on this one but I guess its buried with the German files
I don't think it's the deciding factor. But I think alienating half the country does have an effect. Or maybe I'm wrong and zeroing in on one side props you up enough to counter balance that.
But regardless its dying and this seems like an easy way to get out of a contract you weren't likely to renew.
nsacpi
Expects Yuge Games
Post 6299 in TLHLIM
What a tremendous time in history right now. Before people were emboldened to be racist pricks against white peope or celebrate conservatives death.
We are taking this country back and the only way it was going to happen is via uncomfortable measures.
This is going to end very well for everyone but the Marxist’s.
We are taking this country back and the only way it was going to happen is via uncomfortable measures.
This is going to end very well for everyone but the Marxist’s.
Tapate50
Well-known member
Portlands safe zone and Trumps private foot soldiers !
And obesity not affecting Covid outcomes
There was something about the couple defending their property from looters but I can’t recall
Tapate50
Well-known member
He just does this bc you don’t vote like him
He’s never fact checked a tweet 57 or any other of his own published here
It’s fairly obvious
acesfull86
Well-known member
To the extent Kimmel was punished because he was an idiot and pissed off his employer, good riddance.
To the extent he was punished because of pressure from the federal government (or a concern that there would be pressure from the federal government), it is obviously a problem.
To the extent he was punished because of pressure from the federal government (or a concern that there would be pressure from the federal government), it is obviously a problem.
Tapate50
Well-known member
... and none of that material was remotely funny.
He and Adam have certainly gone down different paths.
All the people crying about it now either said nothing while it was happening to conservatives/MAGA or cheered it on in real time.
Fake outrage. They are just really mad that Trump and team are finally pushing back HARD.
Metaphysicist
Not Actually Brian Hunter
As a matter of constitutional law, the Chair of the FCC threatening companies in order to coerce them to fire someone whose political speech he doesn’t like is about as straightforward a violation of the First Amendment as you can get. “Government officials cannot attempt to coerce private parties in order to punish or suppress views that the government disfavors.” Nat'l Rifle Ass'n of Am. v. Vullo, 602 U.S. 175, 180 (2024). Like, that’s a 9-0 supreme court ruling from the current fractured court there. That Kimmel ended up being immediately punished and the FCC director basically said “Thank you,” is, uh, bad optics, at best.
Deeper problem being showcased here is how “free speech” is often actually kind of an antitrust problem. Kimmel was screwed when Nexstar/Sinclair flexed their muscle against him because they wield outsized power in the tv space after gobbling up all the local stations. Similar to when whatever lunatics you guys loved couldn’t get their books on amazon. The problem is not, strictly speaking, that a private company didn’t want to do business with him (companies also have first amendment association rights)—the problem is Amazon has (had?) monopoly in the book market, so that single point of denial has outsized impact.
Corporate consolidation is bad for free speech (and is antidemocratic in other ways), just generally speaking.
Deeper problem being showcased here is how “free speech” is often actually kind of an antitrust problem. Kimmel was screwed when Nexstar/Sinclair flexed their muscle against him because they wield outsized power in the tv space after gobbling up all the local stations. Similar to when whatever lunatics you guys loved couldn’t get their books on amazon. The problem is not, strictly speaking, that a private company didn’t want to do business with him (companies also have first amendment association rights)—the problem is Amazon has (had?) monopoly in the book market, so that single point of denial has outsized impact.
Corporate consolidation is bad for free speech (and is antidemocratic in other ways), just generally speaking.
acesfull86
Well-known member
Did Biden’s FCC chair tell FOX “we can do this the easy way or the hard way” in regards to getting Tucker off the air?
Tapate50
Well-known member
Biden also got half the world kicked off Youtube and other media, not to mention them fired and smeared publicly to lose employment
acesfull86
Well-known member
I agree, and we talked about it here extensively at the time, which is another reason (in addition to bringing Tucker into the convo) why I don’t know what thethe is talking about.
nsacpi
Expects Yuge Games
the wokeness of Grok never ceases to amaze me
can you summarize the events that led to FOX taking Tucker Carlson off the air
Tucker Carlson, host of the top-rated prime-time show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News since 2016, was abruptly fired on April 24, 2023, with the network announcing that they had "agreed to part ways." His departure came just days after Fox News settled a massive $787.5 million defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems over false claims of 2020 election fraud aired on the network. While Fox never publicly explained the decision, multiple reports and internal revelations point to a combination of factors that made Carlson increasingly untenable for the network.
The events leading up to his ouster began years earlier but intensified in the lead-up to 2023:
The firing was sudden—Carlson and his team learned via news alerts, and his last show aired unknowingly on April 21, 2023. Post-departure, Carlson launched independent shows on X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms, but the events underscored Fox's efforts to mitigate legal and reputational damage amid ongoing scrutiny.
can you summarize the events that led to FOX taking Tucker Carlson off the air
Tucker Carlson, host of the top-rated prime-time show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News since 2016, was abruptly fired on April 24, 2023, with the network announcing that they had "agreed to part ways." His departure came just days after Fox News settled a massive $787.5 million defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems over false claims of 2020 election fraud aired on the network. While Fox never publicly explained the decision, multiple reports and internal revelations point to a combination of factors that made Carlson increasingly untenable for the network.
The events leading up to his ouster began years earlier but intensified in the lead-up to 2023:
- Promotion of Controversial and Divisive Content: Carlson's show frequently featured conspiracy theories, including the "great replacement theory" (suggesting a plot to replace white Americans with immigrants), racially charged remarks, and anti-immigrant rhetoric. These drew advertiser boycotts and internal criticism at Fox, where some staffers viewed his content as promoting white supremacy and misogyny. His private views, often at odds with his on-air persona, were exposed in leaked texts from the Dominion case, including calling Donald Trump's presidency a "disaster" and using vulgar language toward colleagues like Sidney Powell.
- Dominion Voting Systems Lawsuit and Revelations: Filed in 2021, the lawsuit accused Fox of knowingly broadcasting lies about Dominion's voting machines rigging the 2020 election. As discovery progressed in early 2023, private communications surfaced showing Carlson privately mocking election denialism while allowing it on air, disparaging Fox executives, and expressing disdain for Trump. The settlement on April 18, 2023, required Fox to admit the claims were false, heightening scrutiny on Carlson as one of the most prominent hosts involved. A particularly disturbing text from Carlson about a graphic video of violence, revealed just before the trial, reportedly played a role in the final decision by Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott.
- Allegations of Sexism and Toxic Workplace: In March 2023, former senior booking producer Abby Grossberg filed a lawsuit against Fox and Carlson, alleging rampant misogyny, sexism, and a hostile work environment on his show. She claimed staff mocked female politicians (e.g., polls on which Michigan gubernatorial candidate they'd rather sleep with) and objectified women, including altered images of Nancy Pelosi. Grossberg described the atmosphere as "pervasive" and said it became evident on her first day. Reports also highlighted Carlson's history of demeaning female executives with slurs, alienating colleagues across genders and contributing to a broader culture of toxicity.
- Internal Alienation and Growing Liability: Carlson's ego and behavior reportedly made him "too big for his boots," as described in Brian Stelter's 2023 book Network of Lies. He clashed with Fox leadership, including Rupert Murdoch's children, who were said to want a "sanitized" network for potential sale. His scandals, including the lawsuits, eroded trust and credibility, leading executives to see him as a greater risk than asset despite his massive viewership (averaging over 3 million nightly).
The firing was sudden—Carlson and his team learned via news alerts, and his last show aired unknowingly on April 21, 2023. Post-departure, Carlson launched independent shows on X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms, but the events underscored Fox's efforts to mitigate legal and reputational damage amid ongoing scrutiny.
You really think the FCC made a phone call? Or is it far more Likely that Disney was already sick of Kimmel and used the Nextstar news as a reason to keep the blood off thier hands?
You had no problem with Disney when they cut ties with Roseanne over her ‘speech and jokes’. Why is there a problem now?
Metaphysicist
Not Actually Brian Hunter
The FCC chair made public statements—whether he personally called Bob Iger is irrelevant.