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Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operates numerous ABC affiliates across various states, announced on Wednesday that it will persist in its decision to withhold broadcasts of Jimmy Kimmel Live! until the host provides a formal apology regarding his remarks about the Charlie Kirk assassination.
Kimmel faced a suspension for several days after inaccurately stating that the shooter was a “MAGA” supporter, which led to significant backlash against ABC and its advertisers. Following Sinclair’s announcement, alongside Nextstar’s commitment to preempt Kimmel’s show in favor of news programming, ABC declared that Kimmel’s show would be suspended “indefinitely.”
After several days of discussions between Kimmel and ABC, the host returned to television on Tuesday night. Kimmel expressed that he did not mean to “celebrate the murder of a young man” and apologized to anyone who felt his comments were misinterpreted, but Sinclair reportedly did not consider this a sufficient apology for the false claim, according to Fox News.
“Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” the network stated on Tuesday.
Nextstar also confirmed it would join Sinclair in preempting Kimmel’s show until a retraction is made. “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,” a Nexstar spokesperson remarked.
“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. Meanwhile, ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ will still be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming platforms, while our stations will continue to produce local news and relevant programming for their communities.”
Rachel Bovard from New York Magazine praised the broadcasters for having “spines of steel” in maintaining their stance.
These affiliates have spines of steel. https://t.co/i7K8eLN1Jc
With Sinclair owning 39 ABC stations and Nexstar 26, the combined boycott is projected to keep Kimmel off more than a quarter of ABC affiliates nationwide. This action coincides with both broadcasters pursuing a $6.2 billion merger before the Federal Communications Commission, led by pro-Trump chair Brendan Carr, who has previously criticized Kimmel’s misinformation.
