When two corporations can decide what half the country is allowed to see on their own TV, that’s not journalism—that’s monopoly.
Last week, Jimmy Kimmel Live was pre-empted for a full week after the host criticized political figures in his monologue. Even more disturbing: two major broadcast affiliates flatly refused to air his return. Their names? Sinclair and Nexstar—the two largest local broadcasters in the country.
This isn’t about comedy. This is about power. When corporations with hundreds of local stations silence voices they don’t like, they’re not protecting viewers—they’re manipulating public opinion. And they’re doing it using the public’s airwaves.
Why This Matters
Broadcast licenses are not private property. They are a public trust. The FCC grants them on the condition that companies use them to serve the public interest—by providing diverse viewpoints and access to information, not by filtering out dissent.
But Sinclair and Nexstar have shown us who they really serve: not the public, but political allies and corporate interests.
“We’ve been here before—with Ma Bell. They said they were too big to challenge, until the government broke them apart.”
History is repeating itself—and it’s time to act.
What Needs to Happen
The FCC has the power to fix this. They can:
✅ Pressure Sinclair and Nexstar to remain politically neutral in programming decisions.
✅ Block Nexstar’s expansion and any future mergers that give them even more control over what we see and hear.
✅ Consider breaking up concentrated media ownership to restore accountability and ensure local voices aren’t drowned out.
The public’s airwaves belong to the public. It’s time the FCC remembered that.
What You Can Do
This fight isn’t abstract. It’s happening right now. And you can make a difference.
I’ve prepared message templates you can send directly to the FCC, Sinclair, and Nexstar. These messages demand neutrality, call for an end to monopoly expansion, and remind them that the public will not sit quietly while democracy is undermined. Uses them as-is, expand on them, re-write them in your own passionate tone, move how the spirit moves you.
I’m adding video messages that you can share directly, or use as inspiration for your own videos amplifying the message.
And please share this article, of course!
📩 Copy & Send: Letter to the FCC
Subject: Uphold Media Neutrality & Protect Democratic Discourse
Dear Commissioners,
I urge the FCC to uphold its responsibility to ensure that the public airwaves serve all Americans—not the political or financial interests of a few conglomerates. Sinclair and Nexstar’s refusal to air *Jimmy Kimmel Live* following his constitutionally protected commentary undermines the neutrality that broadcasters are required to maintain.
When a handful of corporations can selectively suppress voices based on political convenience, it creates an environment of fear, chills free expression, and deprives citizens of the diverse perspectives necessary for a healthy democracy.
The FCC should:
- Pressure Sinclair and Nexstar to remain politically neutral.
- Consider breaking up consolidated ownership to restore local accountability.
- Re-examine Nexstar’s merger/expansion plans to prevent further concentration of media power.
Broadcasting licenses are a public trust. The American people deserve access to a diversity of viewpoints—not gatekeeping by corporations acting out of political pressure.
Respectfully, [Your Name]
https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/articles/27646986117268-TV-Form-Descriptions-of-Complaint-Issues
Phone: 1-888-CALL FCC (225-5322)
Videophone: 1-844-432-2275
Fax: 1-866-418-0232
Media Inquiries: 1-202-418-0500
📩 Copy & Send: Letter to Sinclair
Subject: Stop Manipulating Public Opinion
To the Leadership of Sinclair,
As stewards of some of the largest broadcast platforms in the country, your decisions profoundly shape how Americans access information and ideas. By refusing to air *Jimmy Kimmel Live* after his monologue addressing a politically sensitive subject, you risk betraying your obligation to the public you serve.
Your audiences depend on you for fair access to diverse viewpoints, not selective censorship. Informed citizens are the foundation of democracy, and exposure to different perspectives is essential for trust in both journalism and entertainment. Choosing neutrality does not mean endorsing any one viewpoint—it means ensuring that the public can make up their own minds. Suppressing voices because they challenge political or institutional powers undermines the very freedoms your business relies on.
I urge you to:
- Air programming without political discrimination.
- Reaffirm your commitment to neutrality and public trust.
- Recognize the importance of diversity in viewpoints as a safeguard of American democracy.
The public interest must always come before political expedience.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
Corporate Headquarters
10706 Beaver Dam Road
Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030
410.568.1500
Contact Form on Website at:
https://sbgi.net/contact-us/
📩 Copy & Send: Letter to Nexstar
Subject: Nexstar, You Are Big Enough
To the Leadership of Nexstar,
You have built the largest local TV empire in the United States. But instead of serving the public good, you use your stations to shape opinion, filter voices, and silence dissent.
That’s not broadcasting—it’s manipulation. The public’s airwaves aren’t your personal megaphone. They belong to the people, and you’re failing to honor that trust.
Now you want to expand even further. But the public is pushing back. We are urging the FCC to block every merger, every buyout, and every attempt to expand your holdings.
You are already big enough. The public interest requires that you stop growing until you demonstrate neutrality and accountability.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
Corporate Offices
545 East John Carpenter Freeway
Suite 700
Irving, TX 75062
PHONE (972) 373-8800
FAX (972) 373-8888
1301 Avenue of the Americas
7th Floor
New York, NY 10019
(Between 52nd & 53rd Streets)
303 East Wacker Drive
17th & 18th Floors
Chicago, IL 60601
Media Contact
Gary Weitman
EVP & Chief Communications Officer
(972) 373-8800 (office)
communications@nexstar.tv
Investor Relations Contacts
JCIR
212-835-8500
nxst@jcir.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nexstar-media-group-inc
X, formally Twitter: https://x.com/NXSTMediaGroup
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NexstarMediaGroup
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nexstarmediagroupinc/
https://www.nexstar.tv/contact/
Final Word
Sinclair and Nexstar want you to believe they’re too big to challenge. But Ma Bell thought the same thing—and look what happened.
The truth is simple: democracy depends on diverse voices. If corporate monopolies choke them off, then the FCC must step in.
But the FCC won’t act without pressure from us. So let’s give it to them.
📣 Call to Action: Copy these templates. Send your letters. Share this message. And let Sinclair, Nexstar, and the FCC know—the people are watching.