BALTIMORE — Nexstar Media Group Inc. said it will begin preempting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday’s return broadcast, joining Hunt Valley-based Sinclair Broadcast Group in pulling the show for the foreseeable future.

ABC had said Monday it would reinstate the late-night show despite criticism of Kimmel’s comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. But both Sinclair and Texas-based Nexstar said they objected to Kimmel’s remarks and would replace the program with alternative content across their ABC affiliates.

Sinclair operates 38 local ABC affiliates, while Nexstar owns about 33, giving the two companies a combined reach of 63 ABC stations nationwide.

“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical moment in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the range of opinions, views, or values of the local communities we serve,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division. “Allowing Mr. Kimmel to continue to have a broadcast platform in these communities is not in the public interest at this time.

“We have therefore made the difficult decision to preempt his show in hopes of encouraging cooler heads to prevail and paving the way for a return to respectful, constructive dialogue.”

Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder in connection with the killing, along with six additional counts, including obstruction of justice and witness tampering.

Sinclair, the nation’s largest owner of ABC affiliates, said it would not resume airing Kimmel until ABC demonstrates higher standards of “professionalism and accountability.”

The company also called on Kimmel to issue a personal apology to Kirk’s family. Sinclair wants the host to make a “meaningful donation” both to the family and to Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk co-founded.

“Regardless of ABC’s plans for the future of the program, Sinclair intends not to return Jimmy Kimmel Live! to our air until we are confident that appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards expected of a national broadcast platform,” the company said in a statement.

Baltimore Sun co-owner David Smith is the executive chairman of Sinclair, which also owns and operates WBFF FOX45.

Kimmel addressed the Kirk shooting during last week’s broadcasts: “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,” he said in his monologue.

ABC’s decision to pull the show followed comments from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, who said on a political podcast that the agency could consider revoking ABC affiliate licenses to pressure Disney, ABC’s parent company, into disciplining Kimmel.

The swift backlash drew comparisons to the controversy surrounding Bill Maher in 2001, when comments on his late-night show "Politically Incorrect" following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks led advertisers to pull support. ABC canceled the program less than a year later, with then-ABC Chairman Lloyd Braun citing a move toward “straight entertainment.”

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