Sinclair, one of the biggest owners of local television stations in the country, plans to air a Charlie Kirk tribute special during Jimmy Kimmel’s timeslot this Friday, the company announced Wednesday.
The televised Kirk tribute is being offered to ABC affiliates and it will also air across all Sinclair stations this weekend, Sinclair officials said in a statement.
Kimmel, the host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” came under criticism by the head of the FCC for remarks he made about Kirk, the conservative activist who was fatally shot Sept. 10 at a college campus event in Utah. ABC has suspended Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely.
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“Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country,” Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith said in the statement Wednesday. “We believe broadcasters have a responsibility to educate and elevate respectful, constructive dialogue in our communities.”
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During his Monday evening monologue, Kimmel suggested Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, might have been a pro-Trump Republican.
“The MAGA Gang (is) 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,” Kimmel said. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
Sinclair officials said they will not return “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to air on its stations “until formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability.”
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Sinclair also wants Kimmel to apologize to the Kirk family and is calling for him to “make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA,” the organization that Kirk founded.
Material from the Associated Press was included in this story.
Emily Sweeney can be reached at emily.sweeney@globe.com. Follow her @emilysweeney and on Instagram @emilysweeney22.