Local ABC affiliate WJLA Channel 7 will air a one-hour tribute to Charlie Kirk during what would ordinarily be Jimmy Kimmel's late night time slot in the Washington, D.C. market this Friday night, September 19, 2025. ABC 7 is owned by Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group, which along with rival broadcast firm Nexstar Media Group, successfully pressured the Disney-owned ABC network to suspend Kimmel indefinitely yesterday. Kimmel was suspended for making false statements about the assassination of Kirk, who was fatally shot during a Turning Point USA college event in Utah last week.
Kimmel has long been a pugnacious and vitriolic critic of President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement, devoting many minutes of his program to attacks on both nightly. But he has never faced any serious consequences until now, and parent company Disney seemed quite content with Kimmel's shift from a late night comedy show to a hardcore political broadcast that trashed half of his potential viewing audience. What changed?
Nexstar hopes to successfully pull off a merger with Tysons-based Tegna, which would bring more local TV stations into its nationwide portfolio, including local CBS affiliate WUSA 9. Disney and Sinclair may also have potential tie-ups down the road, which would similarly need the approval of a Trump or future GOP administration. As a result, this time they had to show some action on Kimmel's controversial remarks.
Whether Kimmel will actually be canceled by ABC remains to be seen, but his return would certainly risk the ire of Trump. Disney will have to decide if defending the declining career of Kimmel would be worth potentially-major financial consequences for the entertainment giant in the future. Kimmel's ratings have plunged 11% as of the last reporting period, dropping him to third place in his time slot.
The ABC 7 Kirk tribute will be only one of the local events remembering the slain TPUSA founder this weekend. A candlelight prayer vigil for Kirk in Montgomery County is set for this Saturday night in Rockville.
Photo courtesy Salem Media Group
Kimmel is done for that rat you should take photos of the vigil in Rockville
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