Nexstar Media Group, the largest local news provider in the U.S., announced on Tuesday that it will not air comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show on ABC as he prepares to return this week.
Kimmel was suspended by ABC after making comments during his opening monologue where he criticized President Trump and accused conservatives of leveraging the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk for political gain.
Disney, which owns ABC, stated on Monday that they had reinstated Kimmel, labeling his comments as “unsensitized” and indicating they wished to avoid further aggravating an already tense situation in the country.
Nexstar revealed that ABC affiliates would drop Kimmel’s show shortly before ABC’s announcement, emphasizing their commitment to fostering constructive dialogue relevant to the communities they serve.
Disney has not confirmed whether Kimmel intends to apologize for his remarks or how he plans to address the controversy that followed.
Nexstar stated that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will still be accessible nationwide through various Disney-owned streaming services, while their stations will concentrate on local news and programming relevant to their audiences.
This decision was made just hours after Sinclair, another significant local news provider, announced it would also preempt Kimmel’s show.
Nexstar, which owns The Hill, recently shared plans to acquire competitor Tegna, though this deal requires approval from the FCC. This move follows comments made by FCC Chairman Brandon Kerr suggesting that licensed broadcasters should hold ABC accountable for Kimmel’s remarks regarding Kirk.
The suspension of Kimmel last week drew criticism from Congressional Democrats, First Amendment advocates, and other late-night hosts.
