Nexstar Media Group has announced it will continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC affiliate stations, even though ABC/Disney has reinstated the show.
Nexstar described Kimmel’s remarks concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk as “offensive and insensitive” during a critical moment in U.S. political discourse
The media company said its stations will instead air local news and other programming relevant to their markets during the Jimmy Kimmel Live! time slot.
According to reports, Nexstar is demanding some kind of “assurance … that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue” before considering airing the show again.
As Variety reports:
Nexstar operates 28 ABC-affiliated stations. Its decision comes after Sinclair, another big station group, announced Monday it will preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” across the 38 ABC local stations it operates beginning Tuesday, despite Disney’s end of the Kimmel suspension. “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘ across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming,” a Sinclair representative said in a statement. “Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.”
Nexstar and Sinclair’s refusal to air “Kimmel” means that nearly one-third of the roughly 240 national ABC stations will not carry the program for the time being.
Last week, Disney pulled Kimmel’s late-night show after Nexstar and Sinclair said they would not be airing “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC in their respective markets following the host’s on-air comments about the killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Disney, Nexstar and Sinclair’s initial decisions were made after FCC chair Brendan Carr suggested the agency would investigate “news distortion” complaints against ABC stations unless they pulled Kimmel off the air.
Following several days of discussion among top Disney brass, Disney announced Monday that Kimmel’s suspension had ended: “Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
Whether Nexstar will eventually resume airing the show (if conditions are met) is uncertain. They seem to be leaving the door open but are not budging for now.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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Nexstar and Sinclair deserve credit for having the integrity to stand up to the hate speech and lies that ABC and Disney obviously condone.
NOT sorry for actions done in past
Faux tears
Fake acting
Hope show Tanks & loses more Ratings