FCC chair defends comments, says Kimmel not suspended because of government action

Sept 22 (Reuters) - Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr on Monday defended his comments last week aimed at Disney and local broadcasters to stop broadcasting "Jimmy Kimmel Live," saying the host was not suspended as a result of government pressure.

"Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation that he is in because of his ratings, not because of anything that's happened at the federal government level," Carr said at a forum in New York.

A growing number of lawmakers have sharply criticized his comments on Wednesday when he urged Disney DIS.N and ABC affiliates to take action saying: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."