Major Broadcasters Pull ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ After Controversial Remarks

Nexstar Media Group announced Tuesday it will no longer air Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC affiliates, citing what it called Kimmel’s “ill‑timed and insensitive” comment about the killing of Charlie Kirk. The decision underscores how volatile the media landscape has become around his return.

Just a day before Nexstar’s announcement, Sinclair Broadcast Group—one of the largest operators of ABC stations—also declared it would preempt Kimmel’s show. That means two of the network’s largest station owners will not run his late-night program, even though Disney has reinstated the broadcast in its lineup.

“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,” Nexstar said in a statement. The company added it would reconsider airing the show only when it is confident that “all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue.”

Sinclair made a similar statement via social media, saying: “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming.”

Inside Kimmel’s camp, uncertainty about the show’s future is growing. An anonymous staffer expressed doubt that Kimmel would ever return to the air in the same way, pointing to fierce backlash and a refusal among critics to accept any apology.

“Even if Jimmy offered a public apology and donated money, MAGA people will never be satisfied. It will never be enough,” the staffer said in an interview with Rick Ellis of the “Too Much TV” newsletter.

Within ABC and Disney circles, decisions and reactions have moved rapidly. Kimmel’s show was suspended indefinitely after management deemed recent commentary inappropriate. The host had accused the suspect in the Kirk killing of being a MAGA supporter—an assertion that ran contrary to what investigators say about the accused’s political leanings.

Kimmel once defended his remarks, saying: “We hit some new lows over the weekend … doing everything they can to score political points from this tragedy.” But tensions escalated behind the scenes. According to reports, Disney co-chair Dana Walden informed Kimmel that the show would be pulled unless he apologized, a request he declined to comply with.

The controversy has also attracted attention from regulators. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said he is contemplating an inquiry into Kimmel and ABC over their actions. Carr described Kimmel’s conduct as “some of the sickest conduct possible” during a recent appearance and acknowledged that the FCC has potential jurisdiction in broadcasting controversies.

The entire saga arises from the tragic killing of 22-year-old Charlie Kirk during a public event in Utah. Prosecutors have identified the shooter—Tyler Robinson—as leaning politically left rather than aligning with the MAGA movement, contrary to the narrative Kimmel floated publicly.

Taken together, these developments paint a portrait of a media fight with multiple battlegrounds: content moderation, free speech, political responsibility, and network control. For now, viewers in many markets won’t see Kimmel’s show on their local ABC station, and the future of Jimmy Kimmel Live! appears uncertain and fractured.