Jimmy Kimmel has announced that an upcoming interview with a Senate candidate will be broadcast exclusively on YouTube rather than his traditional late-night television slot on ABC. This decision comes as the production faces mounting regulatory pressure regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) rules on political candidate appearances.

Under FCC regulations, broadcasters are often required to provide equal time to opposing political candidates if they air an interview with one. Because ABC is owned by Disney, the network has faced a year of intensifying hurdles regarding how to manage political content without triggering these complex regulatory requirements. By moving the interview to a digital-only platform like YouTube, the show effectively bypasses the broadcast-specific rules that apply to traditional television networks.

While the specific candidate was not named in the initial reports, the move highlights a growing trend of media figures shifting political discourse away from regulated broadcast airwaves to circumvent federal oversight. Industry analysts suggest this strategy allows for more flexible scheduling and content choices, though it also removes the interview from the broader reach of traditional network television. The shift underscores the ongoing tension between late-night comedy programs, which frequently engage in political commentary, and the strict legal frameworks governing broadcast media during election cycles.