Nexstar Media Group mentioned Tuesday that it’s going to proceed to preempt Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night TV present after ABC introduced it might enable this system to return after a weeklong hiatus following Kimmel’s remarks about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“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,” the corporate mentioned in a assertion. “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.”
The corporate added that the present will nonetheless “be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets.”
Aside from Nexstar, Sinclair Broadcast Group additionally mentioned that it might maintain preempting Kimmel’s present after ABC’s announcement on Monday night. As an alternative of Kimmel’s present, Sinclair mentioned that it might air information programming.
“Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” the corporate mentioned in an announcement to a number of information shops.
Nexstar owns 32 ABC stations throughout the USA. Sinclair owns 30 ABC affiliate stations.
ABC suspended Kimmel indefinitely on Sept. 17 after feedback he made in a monologue about Kirk, who was killed Sept. 10 whereas talking at an occasion on a college campus in Utah.
Kimmel mentioned in that monologue that “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk” and that “the MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.” MAGA stands for President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” coverage agenda.
The suspect in Kirk’s assassination, Tyler Robinson, is alleged by prosecutors to have had left-wing political opinions and was pro-transgender. Robinson additionally allegedly instructed members of the family and native regulation enforcement that he shot Kirk due to Kirk’s views, officers mentioned final week.
Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Level USA, the group based by Kirk and now headed by his widow, Erika, posted on X about Kimmel’s reinstatement: “Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make. Nexstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice.”
After ABC’s resolution, Trump, one in all Kimmel’s frequent targets, posted on social media that the comic’s suspension was “great news for America.” The president additionally known as for different related late-night hosts to be fired. He has but to touch upon Kimmel’s reinstatement.
Earlier than Kimmel’s transient suspension, Brendan Carr, head of the Federal Communications Fee, warned throughout an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson that he would take motion in opposition to ABC over Kimmel’s remarks. After Kimmel was suspended, Carr instructed CNBC that the late-night host appeared to have made deceptive statements in regards to the incident and famous in one other interview with Fox Information final week that broadcasters like ABC, NBC, and CBS have extra stringent necessities underneath the FCC’s jurisdiction to not mislead the general public.
Carr rebutted on Monday accusations that he threatened to revoke ABC’s native station licenses due to Kimmel’s remarks.
“Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation he’s in because of his ratings. Not because of anything that’s happened at the federal government level,” Carr mentioned on the Concordia Annual Summit.
The Epoch Instances contacted ABC for remark Tuesday.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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