Walt Disney-owned ABC said on Wednesday it will indefinitely stop airing "Jimmy Kimmel Live" after remarks the late-night host made about Charlie Kirk's assassination came under harsh criticism from the head of the Federal Communications Commission.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live will be preempted indefinitely," an ABC spokesperson told AFP, using a television industry term for when a show is replaced or removed from the schedule.

Earlier, Nexstar Media Group Inc said it would stop airing the show on its 32 ABC affiliates, citing comments that Kimmel made.

“Mr Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division.

Earlier on Wednesday, FCC Chair Brendan Carr had urged local broadcasters to stop airing the show on ABC.

Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot dead last week during a speaking event on a Utah university campus.

Authorities said 22-year-old Tyler Robinson used a rifle to shoot Kirk with a single bullet to the neck from a rooftop. He was arrested and has been formally charged with his murder.

On Monday, Kimmel spoke about the shooting in his popular late-night show's monologue.

"We had some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it," said Kimmel.

"MAGA" refers to the president's "Make America Great Again" movement.

The White House this week said it would be pursuing an alleged left-wing "domestic terror movement" in the wake of Kirk's killing, prompting alarm that such a campaign could be used to silence political dissent.

After ABC's announcement, Donald Trump hailed the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show.

"Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED," Trump wrote on his social media site. "Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that's possible." (Agencies)