FILE PHOTO: Jimmy Kimmel arrives on the red carpet before comedian and talk show host Jon Stewart receives the Mark Twain Prize For American Humor, at The Kennedy Center in Washington, U.S., April 24 2022. REUTERS/Cheriss May/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Toy figures of people are seen in front of the displayed Disney + logo, in this illustration taken January 20, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

By Juby Babu

(Reuters) -Several investors in Walt Disney on Wednesday asked the media giant to share documents about its decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel's show last week for inspection.

Kimmel returned to the air Tuesday night, six days after his remarks about the accused killer of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk provoked social media outrage and pressure from the Trump administration.

In a letter to the company, lawyers for the American Federation of Teachers, U.S. labor federation AFL-CIO, and Reporters Without Borders requested Disney to turn over records related to Kimmel's suspension.

The demand seeks to probe potential wrongdoing, mismanagement and fiduciary breaches by the Disney board and its leadership, according to the letter.

"There is a credible basis to suspect that the board and executives may have breached their fiduciary duties of loyalty, care, and good faith by placing improper political or affiliate considerations above" Disney and its shareholders' best interests, the letter said.

The shareholders are pushing for documents, including materials that estimate the potential impact of the suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Disney's revenue and agreements with affiliate networks Nexstar and Sinclair, which refused to air the show.

The groups' lawyers said they would sue for the records if Disney does not share the requested information within five business days.

Disney did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

ABC, the television network owned by Disney, said some 6.26 million viewers watched Kimmel as he used a mixture of humor and humility to address the remarks he made on September 15 that sparked controversy.

It was Kimmel's highest-rated episode in more than a decade, even though it did not air in about 23% of television households in the U.S. Nexstar and Sinclair both opted to keep the show off their combined 70 owned and operated ABC stations.

Semafor had earlier reported on the letter to Disney.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Alan Barona)