U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr has agreed to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee following Disney’s decision to temporarily pull talk show host Jimmy Kimmel off air.
Carr agreed after discussions with committee chair Senator Ted Cruz, though a date has not yet been set, the source said. Semafor first reported the planned hearing.
The committee has oversight of the FCC, and Democrats had pressed Cruz to call Carr to testify. Neither Carr, Disney, the White House nor the FCC responded to requests for comment.
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Carr drew backlash after warning Disney and broadcasters to take action against Kimmel or face potential FCC scrutiny, remarks Cruz criticised as “dangerous as hell” and likened to Mafia-style threats.
Kimmel had come under fire for comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, prompting Carr to urge local affiliates to stop airing Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Cruz warned Carr’s threats could set a precedent for future Democratic administrations to target conservative outlets. Carr denied the remarks amounted to political weaponisation.
Sinclair and Nexstar Media Group ended a boycott of the Kimmel show last Friday across 70 ABC-affiliated stations, which reach nearly a quarter of U.S. households.
