| Welcome to Bloomberg’s California Edition—covering all the events shaping one of the world’s biggest economies and its global influence. Join us each week as we put a unique lens on the Golden State. Sign up here if you’re not already on the list. ABC’s snap suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday cements “political pressure” on the laundry list of things weighing down Hollywood. The saga began when Nexstar Media, which has of dozens of ABC affiliates and a pending acquisition of rival Tegna, pulled Kimmel’s show from its stations hours after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr blasted the comedian’s televised remarks tied to Charlie Kirk’s murder. Disney followed suit, removing the show from all of ABC indefinitely. The action followed CBS’ cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in July. Paramount, CBS’ parent, was in the process of getting federal approval to be acquired by Skydance Media, a backdrop that industry observers suggested could spur broadcasters to tone down their more contentious shows. With corporate deals and TV shows at the mercy of political pressure, Hollywood faces yet another obstacle. TV studio output fell 35% in the US last year from its 2022 peak, and another 12% in the first half of this year. The industry’s biggest landlord, Michael Hackman’s MBS group, cut about 100 jobs earlier this month as demand for studio space plunged. Paramount is weighing an offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, which could result in losses of thousands of jobs. President Trump praised the suspension of Kimmel’s show, just as he celebrated the end of Colbert’s show, which will air its final episode next May. A close ally of Kirk and a longtime critic of mainstream media, Trump told reporters on Thursday that TV stations which air shows denouncing his administration should possibly have their licenses revoked. What was once late-night irreverence now feels increasingly like corporate liability. As political tempers flare and megadeals reshape the media landscape, Hollywood’s ability to withstand controversy looks shakier than ever. “I’m sure the comedians taping shows tonight can’t help but feel skittish given the speed at which this late-night epic is unfolding,” said Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University.  Democratic lawmakers gather at the US Capitol on Thursday to call for FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to resign after ABC announced it's taking Kimmel’s show off the air indefinitely. Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg | 
