*Disclaimer* We’re talking about politics in this episode. If you don’t want to hear it, totally get it. We’ll see you at our next episode, where we'll return to our regular content.

Freedom of speech has never been simple, and in today’s climate, it’s anything but. In this episode, we look at how the First Amendment plays out in real time, from Jimmy Kimmel’s public clashes to the press’s constitutional protections. As former journalists, the First Amendment is near and dear to our hearts because without freedom of the press, there is no democracy. We revisit landmark Supreme Court decisions that define the limits of free expression, unpack what’s truly protected (and what isn’t), and explore why knowing your rights matters now more than ever.

SOURCES:

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript 

https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/ 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/18/jimmy-kimmel-suspended-trump 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/business/media/abc-jimmy-kimmel.html 

https://www.businessinsider.com/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-fragility-late-night-tv-2025-9 

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/sep/26/sinclair-end-boycott-of-jimmy-kimmel-live 

https://www.wired.com/story/right-wing-activists-are-targeting-people-for-allegedly-celebrating-charlie-kirks-death/ 

https://abcnews.go.com/US/tyler-robinson-charlie-kirk-suspect-shooter-utah/story?id=125474359 

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/brendan-carr-abc-fcc-jimmy-kimmel-charlie-kirk-1236522406/ 

https://apnews.com/article/abc-kimmel-affiliate-charlie-kirk-8eb9dca5dff2c717fd00a7083982c5c4 

https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/7-things-to-know-about-the-first-amendment/ 

https://www.axios.com/2025/09/24/trump-jimmy-kimmel-return-abc 

https://nypost.com/2025/09/30/media/1-7-million-cancelled-disney-hulu-and-espn-following-jimmy-kimmel-suspension 

https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/6-bln-broadcast-tie-up-adjusts-ma-picture-2025-08-20/ 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/283/697 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/403/713 

https://www.ap.org/media-center/ap-in-the-news/2025/ap-wins-reinstatement-to-white-house-events-after-judge-rules-government-cant-bar-its-journalists/