"When the FCC chair can push ABC into suspending Jimmy Kimmel, it's easy to see it as just another late-night drama. But this isn't about one hostit's about an entire business model gasping for air. NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox are trapped in a system that no longer makes sense, and Kimmel's suspension is the canary in the coal mine."
"Broadcast TV is under siege from three relentless forces. First, the advertising market that once funded prime-time glitz is fractured. Ad dollars now flow across a thousand streaming platforms, social apps, and user-generated content channels. A hit show no longer guarantees financial survival. A single drama costing $35 million per episode can't justify itself to advertisers who barely notice linear ratings anymore."
"Second, production costs are grotesquely bloated. Networks churn out hour-long dramas, daily talk shows, flashy reality programming still pretending linear TV is in its golden age. Meanwhile, audiences stream, scroll, and click elsewhere, consuming content tailored to their tastes on their own schedules. Networks are paying a fortune to reach viewers who increasingly ignore the broadcast signal and instead seek shorter clips on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube."
When the FCC chair can push ABC into suspending Jimmy Kimmel, it signals a broader crisis for broadcast networks. Major broadcasters are trapped in an outdated model as advertising dollars scatter across streaming platforms, social apps, and user-generated channels, making hits less financially reliable. Production budgets are inflated while audiences migrate to shorter, personalized content on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Regulatory enforcement now has the power to materially shape programming decisions, a risk global tech-native platforms largely avoid. Live news and sports retain value because of real-time viewing, but scripted entertainment faces structurally broken economics.
Read at www.mediaite.com
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