Jimmy Kimmel and Trump's MAGA: US media under pressure
The death of Robert Redford this week not only marked the loss of a film legend; it also marked the end of an era in Hollywood , which once considered itself America's progressive conscience. Redford embodied a liberal vision of the US entertainment industry that promoted independent voices and socially critical perspectives.
But times have changed. There are increasing signs of a shift to the right in the US entertainment industry. This is evident, among other things, in the US media's reactions to the murder of the ultra-conservative activist Charlie Kirk . On Wednesday (September 17), the broadcaster ABC announced that it would be taking Jimmy Kimmel's popular late-night show off the air "indefinitely." The reason was comments by Kimmel in which he suggested that the suspected assassin might have been part of the US president's so-called MAGA movement. The acronym stands for "Make America Great Again." The measure was taken after Brendan Carr , head of the US media regulator FCC, threatened to take action against ABC.
Just a few weeks ago, rival broadcaster CBS announced that it would be canceling the "Late Show" with Stephen Colbert for financial reasons.
David Ellison: Paramount media mogul allies with TrumpThe timing of the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's "Late Show," however, raised many questions. In July, Paramount's CBS division paid Trump $16 million (€13.5 million) to settle a lawsuit over a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris on the show "60 Minutes." Trump had claimed that the network altered the interview to make Harris look better, a claim CBS has consistently denied.
CBS canceled Colbert's show after the host called the payment a "fat bribe attempt." Although Colbert received an Emmy —one of the most prestigious television awards in the US—for his show last Sunday, he will no longer be on the air starting in May 2026.
There's further speculation: David Ellison—son of Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, the world's second-richest man and a longtime Trump ally—could target another Hollywood gem, Warner Bros. Discovery, following his $8 billion acquisition of Paramount. Such a move would combine Paramount's holdings, including CBS and the "Mission: Impossible" and " Star Trek " franchises, with Warner's assets: DC Studios (" Superman ," " Batman "), CNN, and HBO.
At other times, such a deal would raise massive antitrust concerns. But under Trump , regulators have shifted their focus: Officials now examine political "neutrality" rather than competitive advantages.
Ellison has already demonstrated his willingness to embrace Trump's agenda. He has appointed conservative think tank leader and Trump adviser Kenneth Weinstein as CBS News ombudsman. And he has held talks with Bari Weiss, founder of the "anti- woke " Free Press, about a possible position at CBS.
Paramount isn't the only company that appears to be bowing to powerful right-wing actors. ABC News recently agreed to pay $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit over anti-Trump remarks by anchor George Stephanopoulos. The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times continue to face similar multi-billion dollar lawsuits from Trump.
ABC's decision to drop Kimmel also has business reasons. Nexstar, owner of dozens of ABC affiliates, is currently pursuing a mega-merger that would make it the largest broadcaster in the U.S. However, the impending merger still requires government approval.
Critics warn that television networks, studios and streaming providers are increasingly wary of programs that could attract the president's wrath.
Media giants abandon "woke" valuesIn the months following Trump's reelection, major film studios quietly scaled back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Disney renamed its cultural initiatives, while Amazon and Paramount eliminated hiring goals and training once associated with DEI . The changes follow Trump's executive order eliminating federal DEI programs and subjecting companies that maintain them to stricter regulation.
The programming change is equally obvious. Amazon is paying a staggering $40 million for two documentaries by and about Melania Trump , including one directed by Brett Ratner, a director and producer who faced sexual assault allegations in the #MeToo movement. The streaming provider is also rerunning the first seven seasons of "The Apprentice," the reality TV show starring Trump that made him famous in America.
Hollywood's conservative shift had already begun before Trump's second term. Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western "Yellowstone" and its spinoffs—soap-opera-like prime-time series whose worldview resonates more with middle-class America than with coastal cities—have become billion-dollar franchises, despite being ignored by the Emmys.
Christian-themed films and television series are also currently experiencing a renaissance. Angel Studios, a "faith-friendly" production company based in Utah, has become a major player. Its film "Sound of Freedom," starring James Caviezel, the actor from "The Passion of the Christ," grossed $250 million worldwide. "The King of Kings," an animated film about the life of Jesus, brought in another $77 million. Angel Studios went public last week.
Her upcoming projects include "Zero AD," an epic biblical thriller, and "Young Washington," a patriotic look at the early years of the first president of the United States.
This realignment, however, is not solely driven by ideological reasons. Economic factors also play a decisive role. Box office revenues are still below pre-COVID levels. Streaming has destroyed the DVD business, a key revenue stream for studios, and decimated the cable television industry. Desperate for profits, Hollywood is looking for low-cost, safe projects.
Religious and conservative films and series, often produced inexpensively and without A-list stars, can guarantee a loyal audience and higher margins. Advertisers also prefer content that avoids polarizing topics.
Robert Redford once embodied the idea that Hollywood could challenge government. Today, the entertainment industry seems less interested in taking on challenges than in surviving—and surviving, at this point, apparently means embracing Trump's MAGA ideology.
Adapted from English: Petra Lambeck
dw
