Why Was 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' Suspended Indefinitely?

Washington, Sep 18 (NationPress) The American Broadcasting Company (ABC), a leading television network in the United States, made the announcement on Wednesday that it has put the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show on hold indefinitely following some contentious remarks made by its host regarding the conservative activist and influencer Charlie Kirk, who was tragically shot last week.

In a statement, Nexstar Media Group, Inc. revealed that its affiliated television stations with the ABC network will temporarily replace "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" with alternative programming, starting with the show scheduled for Wednesday night.

Nexstar operates the largest local television broadcasting network in the U.S., boasting more than 200 owned or partner stations that collectively reach an audience of 220 million people, according to its website.

Nexstar expressed strong disapproval of Kimmel's recent comments concerning Kirk's death, stating that they will substitute the show with different content in ABC-affiliated markets. The statement indicated, "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.

Following the announcement, an ABC spokesperson confirmed to NBC News that 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' will be preempted indefinitely.

During Monday's monologue, Kimmel implied that Tyler Robinson, the suspect in Kirk's murder, could potentially be a pro-Trump Republican, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Kimmel remarked, "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."

In response, U.S. President Donald Trump and senior officials have accused the "radical left" of being accountable for Kirk's death, while dismissing the Democrats' assertion that political violence is an issue on both sides.

During an interview with conservative commentator Benny Johnson earlier Wednesday, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr threatened to take action against Disney and its subsidiary ABC over Kimmel's comments, indicating that the FCC might consider revoking licenses of ABC affiliate stations as a form of punishment.

Anna Gomez, the sole Democrat on the FCC panel, criticized Carr on X, stating, "An inexcusable act of political violence by one disturbed individual must never be exploited as justification for broader censorship and control."

Gomez added, "This Administration is increasingly using the weight of government power to suppress lawful expression."

Notably, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" stands as one of several widely recognized late-night talk shows in the nation.