RT Big Picture Originals (@bigpictureusa)For generations, Americans believed the First Amendment was untouchable — the cornerstone of our Republic.But today, freedom is under attack. Behind closed doors, government agencies, Big Tech, universities, and NGOs built a powerful system to control what citizens can say, hear, and believe.This is not speculation. It is a documented reality.“God Complex: The Rise of America’s Censorship Machine” is a Big Picture Originals documentary that reveals how this system ca ...

Core Idea - Prediction markets integrate speech and markets to discover truth [1] - Freedom of speech is crucial for uncovering truth through the free market of ideas [1] - Prediction markets act as a scoreboard for truth by pricing predictions [1]

Freedom of Speech Commitment - Telegram is committed to freedom of speech and will not remove content for political reasons [4] - The company will continue to expose every attempt to pressure Telegram into censoring its platform [4] Censorship Resistance - Telegram refused to censor certain channels ahead of the presidential elections in Moldova, despite requests from French intelligence [1][4] - Telegram identified and removed a few channels that violated its rules after review [2] - Telegram refused to act on a second list of "problematic" Moldovan channels because nearly all of these channels were legitimate and fully compliant with its rules [3][4] Government Interference - French intelligence services reached out to Pavel Durov through an intermediary, asking for help to censor Telegram channels in Moldova [1] - French intelligence offered to "say good things" about Pavel Durov to a judge in exchange for cooperation in censoring channels [2] - The company observed a pattern of exploiting legal situations to influence political developments in Eastern Europe, also observed in Romania [3]

Core Viewpoint - Sinclair ABC affiliates are restoring "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" after proposing measures for accountability and community dialogue, although ABC and Disney have not yet agreed to implement these proposals [1][6]. Group 1: Programming Decisions - Sinclair announced the return of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" after a suspension due to comments made by Kimmel regarding Trump supporters [3]. - Nexstar Media Group has not confirmed the restoration of the show on its stations, which represent nearly one-quarter of ABC households in the U.S. [2]. - The first night back for Kimmel drew over 6 million viewers, despite the absence of Sinclair and Nexstar stations [4]. Group 2: Accountability and Community Engagement - Sinclair proposed the installation of a "network-wide independent ombudsman" to enhance accountability and viewer feedback, emphasizing the importance of responsible broadcasting [6]. - The company received feedback from various stakeholders, including viewers and community leaders, highlighting the significance of respectful dialogue [5]. Group 3: Free Speech and Broadcasting Rights - Sinclair asserted that free speech applies to both media figures and broadcasters, emphasizing their right to make programming decisions [7]. - The company maintains that its decision to preempt the show was independent of government influence, aligning with Nexstar's stance [6].

Business Ethics & Customer Service - A national debate has been revived regarding when businesses or their employees can refuse service to customers based on opposing views [1] - The debate was triggered by a young conservative's order at Office Depot [1]

Documentary Overview - Big Picture Originals' documentary "God Complex: The Rise of America's Censorship Machine" reveals a system controlling speech [2] - The documentary premieres on October 16 [2] Societal Concerns - The documentary suggests that the First Amendment is under attack [1] - Government agencies, Big Tech, universities, and NGOs are allegedly involved in controlling information [1] - Silencing speech leads to the disappearance of truth and other rights [2]

I think it's also important just to briefly point out how we got here over the last several days because the decision to take Jimmy Kimmel off the air sparked an incredibly swift and loud and expansive backlash. We saw protesters show up outside Disney studios in Burbank after Kimmel was suspended. We saw Disney start to actually lose subscribers.This is the Bob Iger calculation that Steph was talking about and widespread calls to cancel memberships. I mean, even Howard Stern was among the chorus of people ...

US Political & Regulatory Landscape - President Trump is scheduled to address the 80th United Nations General Assembly, focusing on the renewal of American strength [1] - The President is expected to hold high-stakes meetings with leaders from Ukraine, Argentina, the European Union, and several Arab countries to discuss ending the war in Gaza [2] - FCC Chairman Brendan Carr clarified his comments regarding Jimmy Kimmel, denying threats to revoke ABC affiliate broadcast licenses [6][9][10][11] - Republican lawmakers, including Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, spoke out against the FCC's pressure on ABC, citing concerns about freedom of speech [5][14] Media Industry Dynamics - ABC initially suspended Jimmy Kimmel's show due to controversial comments, but later reversed the decision following backlash [3][5][12] - Sinclair, which operates over 30 ABC affiliates across the US, initially planned to preempt Kimmel's return with news programming [4] - The controversy surrounding Kimmel's suspension became a major story, potentially impacting how regulators are perceived [17] - Potential mergers and acquisitions in the media industry, such as Nextar's merger and ABC's business deals, are linked to political and regulatory factors [18] International Relations & Diplomacy - The President's UN speech is anticipated to touch on American strength and the situation in Gaza [20] - The US and some of its allies have differing views on Palestinian statehood, which could be a point of contention during the UN meetings [20][21][23][24] - The President is interested in winning the Nobel Peace Prize and is involved in efforts to address the Ukraine issue [22]

Media & Entertainment Industry - Disney reversed Jimmy Kimmel's suspension after facing backlash over freedom of speech concerns, with hundreds of stars signing an open letter condemning the suspension [1] - Sinclair, owning dozens of ABC stations, initially refused to air Jimmy Kimmel Live unless he apologized to the Kirk family and Turning Point USA, but discussions with ABC are ongoing [1] - ABC's The View addressed the controversy, emphasizing that the government should not pressure someone to be silenced [1] Political & Social Issues - President Trump claimed a link between acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy and autism, contradicting medical consensus and leading to potential safety label changes [1][2] - President Trump called for his Attorney General to investigate political opponents, raising concerns about weaponizing the DOJ [2][3] - A report alleges that Tom Homan, a former immigration official, accepted $50,000 from undercover FBI agents, which the White House denies [7][8][9] - Over 150 nations support Palestinian statehood, while the US and Israel oppose it due to security concerns [12] Economic Trends & Consumer Behavior - Rising housing prices are forcing more Americans to live in RVs, with the number of full-time RV residents doubling in four years [13] - Build-A-Bear Workshop's stock has surged over 50% since the beginning of the year and over 2,000% in the last 5 years, driven by collaborations and affordable pricing strategies [21] Human Interest & Community - A comedian's show in Spokane was interrupted when an audience member had cardiac arrest, and the crowd worked together to save his life [26][27][28]

Disney's Challenges and Decisions - Bob Iger faces pressure regarding freedom of speech and business interests from affiliates and the Trump administration [3] - Disney's decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel raises questions about corporate influence and free speech [1][9] - Advertiser backlash is a significant concern for Disney [8] Potential Motives for Suspending Kimmel - Iger's decision may be influenced by a desire to improve ratings and profitability [11] - The suspension could be a strategic move to address concerns from affiliate groups and advertisers [13] - The possibility exists that Iger wanted to remove Kimmel for financial reasons, using the controversy as cover [16] Affiliate and FCC Influence - Affiliates have the right to question programming content and express concerns to Disney [14] - The FCC's potential involvement adds pressure on Disney's decisions [3][13] - Affiliates may be dissatisfied with Kimmel's content and guest selection [13] Ratings Decline - Ratings have reportedly decreased by almost 50% since the beginning of the year [10]