Nexstar Media Group said Tuesday it will keep “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off its ABC stations following his false claim that Charlie Kirk was killed by a MAGA supporter.
The announcement came just a day after Sinclair Broadcast Group revealed it would preempt the late-night show despite Disney returning Kimmel to the air.
That means ABC’s two biggest station owners, overseeing dozens of local affiliates, will not show the late-night host’s return to the airwaves on Tuesday.
“We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse,” Nexstar said in a statement.
“We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”
Sinclair, which controls the largest cluster of ABC affiliates, said Monday it would also keep Kimmel off the air.
“Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming,” the group said on X.
Together, Sinclair and Nexstar affiliates make up about a quarter of ABC’s national household reach. Both are rejecting Disney’s plan to restore Kimmel Tuesday night after his suspension last week over remarks linking Kirk’s alleged killer to the “MAGA gang.”
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