The legacy newscasts decided that Disney/ABC’s restoration of Jimmy Kimmel Live! would sit at the top of the A-block- top story on ABC and NBC, and second story on CBS. In many ways, this editorial decision exemplifies both the media’s disconnect from the public they claim to serve, and the insular circling of the wagons for one of their own under duress.
DAVID MUIR: Good evening. And it's great to have you with us here on a Monday night. And we begin tonight with the breaking news. Disney/ABC late today saying Jimmy Kimmel will return tomorrow night. Disney says the decision comes after thoughtful conversations with Kimmel. Disney, the parent company of ABC, had suspended Kimmel's show indefinitely after his comments in the wake of the Charlie Kirk shooting, and after pressure from President Trump's FCC chairman for some ABC stations not to carry Kimmel's show. The move igniting a nationwide debate about political pressure and about protecting free speech in this country. Tonight, Disney/ABC saying it suspended the show for a time to, quote,” avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.” Kimmel returns tomorrow night, and ABC's Matt Gutman leading us off now from Los Angeles.
MATT GUTMAN: Tonight, Disney/ABC announcing Jimmy Kimmel will return to the air tomorrow night after they paused the show indefinitely after comments he made about the ideology of the suspect in Charlie Kirk's killing. Tonight, Disney saying in a statement: “Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”