Nexstar Media Group stated Tuesday that the ABC stations it owns and companions with is not going to resume airing “Jimmy Kimmel Stay!” at the same time as Disney brings this system again nationally.
“We decided final week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Stay!’ following what ABC known as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ feedback at a essential time in our nationwide discourse,” the corporate stated in a information launch. “We stand by that call pending assurance that every one events are dedicated to fostering an atmosphere of respectful, constructive dialogue within the markets we serve.”
The assertion comes after every week of tumult for Disney and its ABC community. Final week, Disney pulled Kimmel’s late-night present from its line-up “indefinitely” after Kimmel criticized Republicans for the way they have been responding to conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s killing.
“The MAGA gang [is] desperately making an attempt to characterize this child who murdered Charlie Kirk as something apart from one in all them and doing every part they’ll to attain political factors from it,” Kimmel stated throughout his Sept. 15 present.
Federal Communications Fee Chair Brendan Carr subsequently threatened to “take motion” in opposition to Disney and ABC over Kimmel’s remarks. However Disney’s determination to tug Kimmel drew criticism from celebrities, in addition to customers. Some protested it, and others introduced their determination to boycott Disney.
By Monday, Disney introduced that Kimmel would return on Tuesday. However station house owners Nexstar and Sinclair have stood their floor on pre-empting the present on their ABC associates.
The present “will likely be accessible nationwide on a number of Disney-owned streaming merchandise, whereas our stations will deal with persevering with to supply native information and different programming related to their respective markets,” Nexstar stated Tuesday.
Nexstar is looking for FCC approval for a $6.2 billion merger with fellow station proprietor Tegna.
Sinclair had stated its stations would “air a particular in remembrance of Charlie Kirk” rather than Kimmel’s present on Friday and “is not going to elevate the suspension” of this system “till formal discussions are held with ABC.” On Monday, the corporate stated that it will proceed pre-empting this system on its ABC stations.
Sinclair is at present exploring merger choices for its broadcast enterprise, which might additionally require FCC clearance, CNBC reported.
