Sinclair Broadcast Group abruptly changed plans to air a special on conservative activist Charlie Kirk during the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” timeslot on its ABC-affiliated stations, opting instead to post the segment online. The move came after controversy surrounding remarks made by Kimmel regarding Kirk’s recent assassination.
Initially, Sinclair had scheduled the Kirk-focused news special to air Friday at 11:35 p.m. ET across its ABC affiliates. However, just before airtime, the company issued a statement announcing a change: the special would instead be available on The National News Desk’s YouTube channel, allowing viewers to “continue to enjoy ABC programming.” In place of the special, Sinclair stations aired a rerun of “Celebrity Family Feud,” hosted by Steve Harvey. That same episode, which originally aired August 21, featured celebrities including Normani, Michelle Buteau, Andy Richter, and Jason Ritter competing for charity.
The programming change followed backlash over a recent monologue by Kimmel, during which he commented on reactions to Kirk’s killing. “We hit some new lows over the weekend,” Kimmel said on-air, “with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize the kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.” Many interpreted the statement as suggesting Kirk’s killer was aligned with MAGA supporters, sparking outrage among conservatives.
In response, both Sinclair and Nexstar Media Group announced on September 17 that they would indefinitely remove Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their schedules. That decision came shortly after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, speaking on a conservative podcast, implied regulatory consequences if ABC and its affiliates failed to take action, stating: “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
An ABC spokesperson later confirmed that Kimmel’s show had been suspended indefinitely. Meanwhile, Variety reported that discussions between Disney and Kimmel are underway to find a resolution.
Sinclair’s 55-minute special, titled The National News Desk: Special Edition – The Life and Legacy of Charlie Kirk, explores Kirk’s life, political violence, and youth involvement in American politics. Sinclair, which operates 38 ABC affiliates nationwide, stated it would consider reinstating Kimmel only if he issues an apology to Kirk’s family and makes a donation to Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded.
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