Protest planned at WSYX ABC station Following Jimmy Kimmel Suspension
Columbus, OH – September 22, 2025 - A protest is scheduled for today outside the WSYX ABC 6 studios in Columbus, organized by the local chapter of Indivisible, in response to Jimmy Kimmel’s recent suspension from ABC. Organizers allege the suspension was a result of political pressure from the Trump governance.
The protest, planned to last one hour, aims to demonstrate opposition to what organizers call the “silencing of critical voices.” As of this morning, roughly 50 people have signed up to participate, according to Ann Isaacs, an organizer with Indivisible.
“Bowing to pressure from the Trump administration to silence critical voices is unpopular and dangerous,” Isaacs said in an email. She further suggested ABC may have been motivated to suspend Kimmel to facilitate FCC approval of a pending acquisition by Nexstar Media, which is seeking to buy Tegna.
Isaacs stated, “Allowing this to happen without pushback, makes it easier to silence the next comedian, the next news host, the next journalist. We don’t want to live in a country where only pro government viewpoints can air and where people have to think twice before expressing their opinions openly.”
The suspension follows the recent cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” on CBS, though a USA Today report indicated Colbert’s show had experienced declining ratings, losing a reported $40 million a year.
Isaacs emphasized the importance of holding companies accountable for responding to government pressure. “Collectively,we have power,” she said. “We have options for entertainment and travel. We can choose to direct our eyes and our money to places that support our values.”
ABC 6 has not yet responded to a request for comment from The Dispatch. WSYX and Fox affiliate WTTE are owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group. nexstar Media, owner of NBC 4 in columbus, has agreed to buy Tegna for $3.54 billion, a merger requiring FCC approval.
