Sinclair scrubs Charlie Kirk tribute after threats to ABC stations, moves program to YouTube

Sinclair Broadcast Group canceled plans to air a Charlie Kirk tribute across its ABC affiliates last week after the company said local stations received multiple violent threats, forcing the program to be moved to YouTube just minutes before its scheduled start. The plan to air the Kirk tribute had been announced earlier in the week as a replacement for Jimmy Kimmel Live! during Kimmel’s suspension, but authorities and security concerns prompted Sinclair to pull the broadcast and shift it online.

The threats were described to The Post as local and directed at specific ABC stations in connection with the suspension of Kimmel. Sinclair said it notified law enforcement and private security firms, and it said it would continue to air ABC network programming in the late-night window. A Sinclair spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. An FBI spokesman was not reachable for comment at the time of the reporting. The company’s plan to replace Kimmel with the Kirk special was part of a broader dispute over late-night content and the response to Kimmel’s previous month’s remarks.

In Sacramento, a separate incident underscored the volatile atmosphere surrounding local affiliates. A gunman fired at least three shots into the lobby of a Tegna-owned ABC affiliate in Sacramento; there were no injuries. The suspect was arrested and later freed on bail, and the FBI took the person into custody as the investigation continued. While the threat against Sinclair and its affiliates drew attention, officials stressed that the two episodes were not necessarily linked beyond illustrating a climate of heightened security concerns around network-news programming and high-profile political commentary.

The Kirk tribute that ultimately aired did so on YouTube, and it recounted the conservative activist’s life, including his Utah assassination and the federal investigation into the case. The program also highlighted Kirk’s rise as founder of Turning Point USA, his faith, and his approach to debate, as supporters pledged to expand his movement after his death.

The controversy reverberated through the broader late-night television landscape. Prior to Sinclair’s reversal, ABC executives and affiliates had faced pressure over Kimmel’s Sept. 15 monologue about Kirk’s killing, during which Kimmel linked the suspect to the MAGA movement and criticized conservative rhetoric. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr later warned Disney affiliates that they could face additional regulatory scrutiny if Kimmel were not pulled from the air, an admonition widely interpreted as a threat to licenses. Nexstar, awaiting approval of a $6.2 billion merger, preempted Kimmel’s show, and Sinclair initially followed with the Kirk tribute, only to reverse course and restore ABC’s schedule by Friday night.

Reaction from some corners of the political spectrum was swift. Conservative commentators online criticized Sinclair for pulling the tribute, arguing the move amounted to caving to threats. Others urged patience, noting that security considerations and the potential for copycat incidents were valid concerns for broadcasters covering politically charged topics.

The episode left questions about whether the Kirk special could still be broadcast at a later date, and Sinclair has not publicly stated a new air time. ABC has offered no timetable for Kimmel’s return, and the network has returned to its regular late-night schedule in most markets. The episode also underscored the ongoing tension between news and opinion programming in an era of heightened political polarization and security concerns for broadcast outlets.