Despite the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! to the ABC network, the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operates numerous ABC affiliates, will persist in preempting the talk show.
This announcement came on Monday, September 22, mere hours after reports revealed that the Walt Disney Company—owner of ABC—was reinstating Jimmy Kimmel on the air, starting September 23.
Sinclair’s statement read, “Beginning Tuesday night, we will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! on our ABC affiliate stations in favor of news programming.” The company added, “Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.”
Previously, Sinclair demanded that Kimmel apologize to the family of Charlie Kirk and make personal donations to them as well as to Kirk’s conservative nonprofit.
Earlier that same day, Disney issued a statement revealing the rationale behind lifting Kimmel’s suspension. The network had paused production amid a politically charged atmosphere, stemming from Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk and former President Donald Trump. While acknowledging that some comments were deemed insensitive at the time, Disney concluded after deliberations with Kimmel that the show would resume.
An ABC spokesman previously indicated to Us Weekly that Kimmel’s show would remain “preempted indefinitely.”
The decision to suspend Kimmel, however, fueled a backlash as fans rallied in defense of the host across social media platforms. The ACLU even released an open letter signed by 400 celebrities, including the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and Selena Gomez, emphasizing the importance of free speech.
“We the people must never accept government threats to our freedom of speech. Efforts by leaders to pressure artists, journalists, and companies with retaliation for their speech strike at the heart of what it means to live in a free country,” read the letter, which powerfully concluded, “Regrettably, if it happens to one of us, it could happen to all of us, regardless of political affiliations.”
The impetus behind Kimmel’s suspension arose when Nexstar Media, owning multiple ABC affiliates, reportedly threatened to yank Kimmel from the lineup over what they deemed “problematic statements regarding the death of Charlie Kirk.”
Sinclair currently oversees 38 ABC stations, including one that serves Washington, D.C. During a previous monologue, Kimmel made remarks addressing the killing of Kirk and his alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson, which sparked controversy. He commented, “We saw new lows with the MAGA crowd trying to recast this murderer as anything other than aligned with them, using the tragedy for political gain.”
