Sliwa seeks equal time on ABC as Mamdani withdraws from mayoral town hall over Kimmel suspension

Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate for New York City mayor, is pressing ABC to provide him the same town hall exposure that was offered to Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, after Mamdani withdrew from a planned event in protest of the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show.

In a Tuesday letter to Walt Disney Co. chief executive Robert Iger and Marilú Gálvez, president and general manager of WABC-TV, Sliwa argued that coverage of the mayoral race by ABC News would qualify as bona fide news coverage and should trigger the equal-time obligation under federal law. His campaign said the letter requests an equivalent opportunity to appear before a comparable audience, under similar conditions of format and duration, citing the Communications Act of 1934 and FCC rules. Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, has framed the request as a fairness issue in a race that is tightly watched by New Yorkers.

Mamdani, the frontrunner in the Democratic field, announced he would skip the WABC-TV town hall in protest over the parent company’s decision to suspend comedian Jimmy Kimmel after remarks related to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Mamdani’s campaign said they were prepared to reschedule once Kimmel’s show was reinstated. The town hall had been positioned for an October time frame, with a makeup date not yet announced when the latest developments unfolded.

Sliwa’s campaign told The New York Post that ABC offered a different format—a sit-down interview with Bill Ritter on Up Close rather than the town hall—an offer they said did not meet the previously stated terms. Rob Cole, Sliwa’s campaign spokesman, said there had not yet been a confirmed makeup date, and that the request for equal-time fairness remained a priority. The letter also sought disclosure of the terms and conditions of the Mamdani appearance so that Sliwa could be treated on identical terms, including promotion and publicity.

The network subsequently told the Post there had been a communication mix-up and that it is not planning town hall sessions with Mamdani or any mayoral candidates. ABC said it would instead offer each campaign an opportunity to appear on Up Close with Bill Ritter to answer viewer questions. A makeup date for Mamdani’s town hall, if any, had not been announced as of the latest statements. Sliwa’s campaign said it had accepted the Tuesday offer, pending confirmation, while Mamdani’s team indicated they were open to rescheduling if the platform could be aligned with the original format and exposure.

Meanwhile, independent candidate Andrew Cuomo’s campaign said the station informed him that the town hall format had been scrapped in favor of studio interviews. Cuomo’s team did not indicate a readiness to participate under an alternate format, but noted the shifting approach to the mayoral race’s televised exposure.

The exchange highlights the competing demands for access to television audiences in a city-wide race where debates and town halls are central to voter outreach. The Kimmel controversy and ABC’s shifting plan add another layer of complexity to a campaign cycle already dominated by questions about media access, fairness, and the role of national programs in local elections. As campaigns weigh their options, New Yorkers await clarity on how and when they will be able to hear directly from the candidates about policy, leadership visions, and the priorities they would pursue if elected.