NPR backtracks on timeline and spelling errors in Kimmel and Colbert suspension coverage

NPR has corrected its coverage of Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and Stephen Colbert’s show ending, after misstating key details about dates and names.

In its October 1 story on the unusual crossover between the two late night hosts, NPR originally reported that Kimmel was suspended on September 7 for comments made the previous night. The network has since clarified that the suspension actually occurred on September 17, and that the remarks in question were made on September 15. The article also misspelled the first name of fellow late night host John Oliver as “Jon.”

The corrections may seem minor, but they came in a piece dealing with one of the biggest flashpoints in U.S. broadcast politics this year: the cancellation of Colbert’s show and the temporary suspension of Kimmel’s program after controversial comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. By misreporting dates and even basic names, NPR risked muddying the timeline of what had become a national debate about censorship, corporate pressure, and the Trump administration’s role in late night television.

The clarification acknowledged the errors plainly, but critics note that the initial version had already circulated widely on social media, fueling confusion about when exactly Kimmel was taken off air and why. With both hosts becoming symbols in the fight over free speech in entertainment, accuracy about the chain of events was critical — and sloppy reporting only gave more oxygen to competing narratives.