Disney’s ABC has taken Jimmy Kimmel Live! off its schedule indefinitely after Nexstar Media Group said it will preempt the show across its ABC-affiliated stations following Kimmel’s remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
In his Monday monologue, Kimmel addressed the reaction to Kirk’s killing and criticized what he described as attempts by the “MAGA gang” to spin the tragedy for political gain. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them,” Kimmel said.
The move began when Nexstar Media Group, Inc. announced that its owned and partner stations affiliated with ABC will preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the foreseeable future, beginning with tonight’s broadcast. The company said it strongly objects to Kimmel’s recent comments and will replace the program with other content in its ABC-affiliated markets.
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” said Andrew Alford, President of Nexstar’s broadcasting division. “Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time, and we have made the difficult decision to preempt his show in an effort to let cooler heads prevail as we move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”
The move represents a significant disruption for ABC’s late-night lineup. Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been a network staple since 2003 and remains one of television’s longest-running late-night franchises.
Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on September 10 while appearing at a debate at Utah Valley University. Authorities announced an arrest three days later. The killing has fueled intense political and media reaction, and on air responses have drawn scrutiny across the industry.
ABC has not provided additional details on the length of the hiatus or replacement programming beyond Nexstar’s decision to preempt the show in its markets. It was not immediately clear how the program would be handled in non-Nexstar ABC markets. More to come.’
Stay with Reel 360 for updates as this story develops.
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Charlie Kirk shot and killed at Utah Valley University event
