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    Jimmy Kimmel Pulled by ABC Following Nexstar Stance on Host's Charlie Kirk Comments

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    By Bill Bradley

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    Jimmy Kimmel Pulled by ABC Following Nexstar Stance on Host's Charlie Kirk Comments

    Jimmy Kimmel Live! is being pulled by ABC.

    Today, following Nexstar’s stance on the late-night TV host’s recent comments about Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who was killed last Wednesday while speaking at a student event in Utah, Jimmy Kimmel Live! is being removed from ABC’s weekly lineup.

    “Jimmy Kimmel Live will be pre-empted indefinitely,” an ABC spokesperson told ADWEEK.

    CNN reports that the comments came from Kimmel’s Monday night monologue, where the host suggested that Kirk’s killer might have been a pro-Trump Republican amid uncertainty surrounding the incident.

    “The MAGA Gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and put everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel reportedly said. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”

    Earlier today, Nextstar, which owns hundreds of local TV stations, issued a statement saying it strongly objects to Kimmel’s comments and would preempt the show on its stations.

    “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.

    According to Variety, Nexstar’s stance comes after FCC chairman Brendan Carr threatened to take action against ABC following Jimmy Kimmel’s comments on Kirk.

    Nexstar is currently seeking FCC approval for a $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, which would make Nexstar the largest owner of local TV stations in the country. For that to happen, the FCC would have to raise a 40 percent ownership cap rule, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

    Late Wednesday, Sinclair and its ABC affiliates also objected to Kimmel’s comments, with the stations choosing to air a remembrance of Charlie Kirk on Friday during Jimmy Kimmel Live’s timeslot.

    Kimmel hadn’t responded to the news at the time of publication.

    This story has been updated to include details of Nexstar’s deal with Tegna and Sinclair’s stance.

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