ABC Television Network has "pre-empted indefinitely" its long-time
late-night show “Jimmy Kimmel Live” due to remarks Kimmel made with regard to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The decision came minutes after the largest
independent TV station group -- Nexstar Media Group, which has 32 ABC-affiliated TV stations -- said it was pulling the show.
“Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr.
Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets,” according to Nexstar representative.
Earlier on Wednesday,
Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr threatened to take action against ABC affiliates in the wake of Kimmel’s Monday monologue about Kirk.
In remarks about Kirk’s
death over the weekend, Kimmel said this comes “with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything
they can to score political points from it”.
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The moves by ABC and Nexstar come as Nexstar is seeking Federal Communications Commission approval for its $6.2 billion deal to acquire
Tegna, a major TV station group.
From September 17, 2024 to September 14, 2025, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” took in $45.73 million in national TV advertising revenue, down 9% from the same
12-month period the year before, according to estimates from EDO Ad EnGage.
In July, CBS abruptly said it was cancelling “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” just after Colbert
joked in a monologue about CBS’ parent company -- then Paramount Global -- making a $16 million settlement and the Trump Administration lawsuit that involved the editing of an interview with
then Presidential candidate Kamala Harris.