ABC, Nexstar Pull Kimmel After Carr Threatens Action

Disney reportedly will pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the air indefinitely after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr suggested in a podcast interview that the network should discipline Kimmel for comments about the political affiliation of the suspected killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk (see 2509170064), according to Variety and other news outlets.

Nexstar, the nation's largest broadcaster, also announced in a release Wednesday evening it would preempt Kimmel “for the foreseeable future” starting Wednesday night. “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,” the company said.

In a monologue Monday, Kimmel said the “the MAGA gang” are “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.”

Those comments “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, in its release. “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.” Nexstar is currently seeking FCC approval for its proposed $6.2 billion purchase of Tegna, which would require relaxation of the national TV ownership cap.

In addition, the Center for American Rights announced late Wednesday that it had filed a complaint with the FCC related to Kimmel's comments.