Jemele Hill Calls Out Bob Iger for Censoring Political Talk on The View!

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The repercussions of Disney’s subtle efforts to minimize political debates and criticisms towards former President Trump on “The View” are still ongoing, and now, these concerns are being voiced by members of Disney’s wider family.

Over the weekend, I openly expressed my disagreement with Disney CEO Bob Iger, following reports that he and ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic urged The View hosts to tone down their political discourse, specifically targeting segments critical of President Donald Trump. As a former colleague under Iger during my time at ESPN, I felt compelled to voice my opinion freely.

In her comments during CNN’s “Table for Five”, Hill expressed that Trump appears to be exerting his presidential power to influence media companies once more. Many of these companies, she believes, are yielding under this pressure. As for whether the ratings justify stopping discussions about Donald Trump, it’s unlikely they do so.

Hill’s inquiry about ratings might not have received the response she was anticipating. Although The View experienced a temporary increase in viewership following President Trump’s re-election in November 2024, with over 4.4 million viewers the day after the election, this peak in interest soon subsided.

By May 2025, the average weekly audience had dropped to approximately 2.3 million, barely surpassing “The Faulkner Focus” on Fox News for the first time this year, which dethroned “The View” in ratings. Internal sources at ABC suggest that viewer exhaustion due to continuous political content may have influenced decisions regarding a potential shift in the show’s structure.

In other words, it was pointed out by Hill that the discussion should be guided by the needs of the audience rather than the apprehension of executives, as he continued to express his views without providing concrete evidence or data.

In a casual and clear manner: “If you happen to be Bob Iger, that’s all that truly matters,” she pointed out, ignoring the significant drop in ratings for the show. “As far as the audience still shows interest in it, that’s what they should discuss, according to the women.

Pushback and Division on The View

On The View, as various political debates take place, it’s evident that the panelists don’t always share the same perspective. One of the co-hosts, Ana Navarro, has been quite outspoken about defending the show’s strongly political approach, even going so far as to confront Iger during Disney’s recent Upfront presentation for advertisers. However, it seems not every host is in agreement with this stance.

As reported by a source speaking with Fox News Digital, “Most hosts concur with ABC’s senior management. The talk show ‘The View,’ broadcast during the daytime, should move beyond just discussing politics and criticizing Donald Trump. This change is appreciated by many.

When inquired about reducing political portions during a potential second term of President Trump, the source replied, “It’s difficult to predict,” but cautioned, “Disregarding Bob Iger could prove disastrous.

Broader Media Commentary

On CNN’s panel, there were varied responses. Political commentator S.E. Cupp, while recognizing problems with The View, commended the hosts for their determination. Conversely, former talk show host Montel Williams expressed a different viewpoint, stating that his own achievements stemmed from avoiding politics entirely.

Williams prefers to avoid politics altogether, and as a result, he’s found that his ratings and audience numbers have increased. He stressed the importance of discussing a wider range of topics in media, suggesting that our country could benefit from engaging in conversations beyond daily updates on what [Trump] is doing.

What’s Next for Disney and The View?

The question arises as to whether “The View” will follow Disney’s gentle guidance or continue to emphasize its political identity more strongly. Although Disney has made supportive public statements, behind the scenes, insiders hint that Iger is worried about how the show’s confrontational style might impact the overall Disney brand, particularly in this divisive election year.

For their part, Hill cautioned that such pressure from executives could be detrimental and potentially misleading to both journalists and media figures.

She stated, “If they don’t stand by your side right now, it leaves you exposed, and it puts our whole field at risk.

In the ongoing debate on The View, it’s increasingly clear that Disney is being challenged to determine just how much they are prepared to influence the public opinions of their most vocal talent members.

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2025-05-27 15:56