Dozens of channels from local ABC stations will broadcast a remembrance of Charlie Kirk in place of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Friday, following the sudden and shocking suspension of Disney’s long-time face of late night on Wednesday evening.
Sinclair said it would not lift the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! until “formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability.” Sinclair separately called upon Kimmel to apologize to the Kirk family and “to make a meaningful personal donation” to the Kirk family and to Turning Point USA, the nonprofit organization co-founded by Kirk in 2012, which advocates for conservative politics on high school, college, and university campuses.
It was not clear if Sinclair was linking such a hypothetical donation to returning a suspended Kimmel to its airwaves, and the media giant did not respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
Sinclair warned in its statement that “regardless of ABC’s plans for the future of the program,” it does not plan to air the show again until it’s confident that “appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards expected of a national broadcast platform.”
“Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country,” said Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith in a press release. “We believe broadcasters have a responsibility to educate and elevate respectful, constructive dialogue in our communities.”
“This incident highlights the critical need for the FCC to take immediate regulatory action to address control held over local broadcasters by the big national networks,” Smith said in the statement.
Sinclair will also air the tribute to Kirk across all of its stations this weekend and it has offered the special to all ABC affiliates across the country, per the company release.
