Sinclair Broadcast Group demands apology from Jimmy Kimmel

The Sinclair Broadcasting Group, one of two companies that scrubbed their local ABC affiliates of Jimmy Kimmel's show following comments he made in the wake of Charlie Kirk's killing, is demanding an apology.

In a statement Wednesday, Sept. 17, the company's Vice Chairman, Jason Smith, called Kimmel's comments, which implied Kirk's killer was a member of the MAGA movement, "inappropriate" and "deeply insensitive." The man who shot Kirk has now been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, whose mother has said that, despite being raised in a conservative home, his politics had lurched left in recent years.

Sinclair will replace Kimmel's ABC timeslot with a remembrance special honoring Kirk on Friday, Sept. 19. The special will air at all Sinclair stations and be offered to ABC affiliates nationwide, a move that followed sharp criticism of Kimmel from the head of the Federal Communications Commission.

"Mr. Kimmel's remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country," Smith said in his statement. "We believe broadcasters have a responsibility to educate and elevate respectful, constructive dialogue in our communities. We appreciate FCC Chairman Carr's remarks today and 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."

It clarified that Sinclair stations will not air "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" until "we are confident that appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards expected of a national broadcast platform."

The company also called for Kimmel to issue a direct apology to Kirk's family and to make a personal donation both to the family and Kirk's organization, Turning Point USA.

Sinclair was joined by Nexstar, another owner of many ABC affiliate stations, in pulling Kimmel from the air, prompting ABC itself to suspend the comedian "indefinitely."

Kimmel's axing comes on the heels of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's" cancellation, which, though CBS and its parent company Paramount cited financial woes, was characterized by some as a political move aimed at appeasing the FCC. Colbert, like Kimmel, was a frequent critic of President Donald Trump.

Contributing: Anthony Robledo