Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

Episode: No Spin News - Weekend Edition - September 20, 2025
Host: Bill O’Reilly
Date: September 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this Weekend Edition, Bill O’Reilly tackles recent developments surrounding the FBI’s conduct in a Utah homicide investigation, reactions and media narratives following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the radicalization and polarization on social media, the integrity and dynamics of corporate media outlets, and issues of free speech and media censorship in the U.S. Guests provide legal, psychological, and media analysis, contributing to a multi-layered exploration of justice, motive, and the fraught state of American discourse.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The FBI’s Investigation in Utah

(00:35-07:13)

• Bill O’Reilly interviews Brett Tallman (former U.S. Attorney, Utah) on the FBI’s role in a prominent homicide investigation, addressing reports of internal dissent and their veracity.

  • Transparency vs. Procedure:
    Tallman dismisses claims of FBI missteps, attributing criticisms to anonymous sources and minor communication errors by the FBI director.

    • Quote (Brett Tallman, 01:00):
      “It is unusual to see the director of the FBI willing to give, you know, real time information as he gets it. I think he's probably learned a bit from this and may hold his cards a little closer.”

  • FBI's Performance:
    Both Tallman and O’Reilly affirm the FBI acted promptly and efficiently, especially with DNA evidence processing.

    • Quote (Tallman, 03:33):
      “The FBI has been an absolutely terrific partner.”

  • Utah’s Legal and Cultural Context: Discussion covers the state’s death penalty, the difficulty of mounting an insanity defense, and confidence in Utah’s capacity for a fair trial.

    • Quote (Tallman, 05:00):
      “The insanity plea is very difficult in Utah. In essence, they're going to have to show an incapacity to appreciate right versus wrong.”

  • Speculation on Motives and Social Dimensions:
    O’Reilly asks if issues surrounding the alleged perpetrator’s living situation and gender identity might be injected, but Tallman notes there’s no current evidence to that effect.

2. Media Response and Polarization Post-Assassination

(07:33-15:24)

• Stephen King’s Controversial Tweet:
  O’Reilly criticizes the author for spreading false claims about the victim (Charlie Kirk) and reflects on the lack of humanity in polarized reactions.

  • Quote (O’Reilly, 09:38):
    “You need to go and see a therapist...To say something like that when it's not true, you took it off some crazy Internet site. That's not responsible. It's not humane.”

• Forensic Psychologist Dr. Chris Mon Hundy’s Analysis
  Discusses the validation of extreme views on social media and how this catalyzes radicalization on both sides, but cautions these groups are small in percentage.

  • Quote (Mon Hundy, 10:54):
    “People seek [validation] and it’s an unfortunate thing because at the end of the day, we have to find our humanity here.”

  • O’Reilly introduces his own thesis:

    • Quote (O’Reilly, 12:52):
      “About 15% of human beings around the world are evil...But what I find now is a lot of people turn away from evil.”
    • Mon Hundy agrees that powerlessness and social withdrawal allow for evil to expand unchallenged.

3. The State of U.S. Media: Tone, Bias, Economics, and Speech

(15:28-34:46)

A. Mainstream Media Coverage and Political Bias

With Tim Graham, News Busters
(15:28-24:29)

• Examines how ABC’s Martha Raddatz and other corporate press outlets frame Republican responses versus Democratic actions in the wake of the Kirk assassination.

  • Quote (Tim Graham, 16:31):
    “It would seem to me in an instance like this, when a man who pretty much looks like a leftist shoots Charlie Kirk, nobody's going to think that was caused by the tone of the Republicans. So why isn't the tone of the left the real question?”

• Discussion of editorial bias, declining ratings, and the economics driving legacy news organizations.

  • Quote (Graham, 18:29):
    “They've tried very hard to actually suggest that you can't identify the leanings of the killer, despite the fact that they can clearly see...”
  • O’Reilly underscores the near-extinction of traditional journalism:
    “Journalism is almost dead in America...It's agenda driven almost everywhere.” (19:39)

B. Late-Night TV, Censorship & the First Amendment

With Bernard Goldberg, Media Analyst
(24:33-34:46)

• The Kimmel Firing and Freedom of Speech:
  O’Reilly and Goldberg analyze media and political narratives after Kimmel’s sacking, highlighting the difference between private company actions and government infringements on speech.

  • Quote (Goldberg, 27:03):
    “Jimmy Kimmel doesn't have any First Amendment right, any free speech right to say what he wants. Only the government can tell you...ABC Disney could have fired Jimmy Kimmel because they didn't like the color of his tie.”

• Government Pressure and Danger of Censorship:
  Goldberg warns about the slippery slope if the government pressures networks to act, which could set a precedent for silencing dissent from any side. - Quote (Goldberg, 28:17):
  “The government can't coerce ABC Disney to do the government's job...that's a kind of coercion that tiptoes into First Amendment issues.”

  • Both agree media exclusion of conservative or non-liberal voices is widespread, though it’s legal, not necessarily right.
    • Quote (O’Reilly, 32:00):
      “I'd like to see the Supreme Court hear it because it is such a threat to the nation...You cannot have any dissent and that's what the networks imposed.”

• Market Response and Future of Broadcasting:
  O’Reilly proposes that the market, not regulators, should handle bias, predicting cable news will follow network TV into obsolescence as viewership erodes. - Quote (O’Reilly, 33:53):
  “Let the marketplace rather than the FCC...take care of stuff like this.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time (MM:SS) | Topic/Segment | |------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:35–07:13 | FBI investigation and Utah's legal handling – with Brett Tallman | | 07:33–10:32 | Stephen King's tweet and the psychology of polarizing discourse | | 10:32–15:24 | Radicalization, social withdrawal, and enabling evil – Dr. Mon Hundy | | 15:28–24:29 | Media bias, coverage of political violence, decline of legacy news – Tim Graham | | 24:33–34:46 | TV firings, free speech, coercion, Fairness Doctrine – Bernie Goldberg |

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the FBI/Utah Investigation:

  • “The DNA evidence...they found. They also have been analyzing other evidence quickly, putting it as a top priority.” (Tallman, 02:27)
  • “The insanity plea is very difficult in Utah...plenty of social media, plenty of other witnesses that are going to come forward.” (Tallman, 05:00)

• On Extreme Discourse and Social Media:

  • “At the end of the day, we have to find our humanity here...It’s not okay to celebrate; it’s something to mourn.” (Dr. Mon Hundy, 10:54–11:39)
  • “About 15% of human beings around the world are evil...a lot of people turn away from evil.” (O’Reilly, 12:52–13:38)

• On Media Coverage and Bias:

  • “When a man who pretty much looks like a leftist shoots Charlie Kirk, nobody’s going to think that was caused by the tone of the Republicans. So why isn’t the tone of the left the real question?” (Tim Graham, 16:31)
  • “Journalism is almost dead in America...it’s agenda driven almost everywhere now.” (O’Reilly, 19:39)

• On Free Speech and TV Industry Turmoil:

  • “Jimmy Kimmel doesn’t have any First Amendment right...ABC Disney could have fired Jimmy Kimmel because they didn’t like the color of his tie.” (Bernie Goldberg, 27:03)
  • “You cannot have any dissent and that’s what the networks imposed...there’s a glimmer of hope.” (O’Reilly, 32:00–32:52)
  • “Let the marketplace rather than the FCC...take care of stuff like this.” (O’Reilly, 33:53)

Tone and Language

The episode is marked by O’Reilly’s signature directness and skepticism, with assertive, often acerbic exchanges and a focus on “just the facts.” Guests share analytical, if sometimes opinionated, insights without hyperbolic speculation. There is a prevailing concern about media bias and the erosion of shared civic norms, with a mix of legal, psychological, and cultural perspectives.

Summary for Listeners

This episode provides listeners with a tightly argued, multi-guest analysis of law enforcement efficacy in high-stakes cases, the dangers of social and media radicalization, and the complex, often fraught state of American journalism and broadcast media. The episode’s rich dialogue offers insight into the need for institutional fairness, media accountability, and civic courage in the face of political extremism.

The interplay between O’Reilly and his guests underscores a central point: solutions to America’s divisions and media failings will not come from official edicts or institutional censorship but from a revitalized commitment to open debate, critical scrutiny, and resilient discourse.