Sinclair has decided to reinstate Jimmy Kimmel‘s late-night television program across its 38 ABC affiliates. This follows a period of preemption in response to remarks Kimmel made regarding the individual charged with the murder of conservative activist, Charlie Kirk.
In a recent statement, Sinclair announced that it would lift the preemption of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with the show set to return Friday evening on its ABC stations. The rerun scheduled for September 26 was announced as a repeat of Kimmel’s previous night’s episode, showcasing his return after ABC had put a temporary hold on the program.
Sinclair addressed the controversy, stating, “While we understand that not everyone will agree with our decisions about programming, it is simply inconsistent to champion free speech while demanding that broadcasters air specific content.”
Among the Sinclair ABC affiliates are prominent stations such as WJLA (Washington, D.C.), KOMO (Seattle), KDNL (St. Louis), KATV (Little Rock, Ark.), KTUL (Tulsa, Okla.), WTVC (Chattanooga, Tenn.), and WCIV (Charleston, S.C.).
As of now, Nexstar, another major broadcasting company that continues to hold Kimmel off its 32 ABC affiliates due to the dispute, has yet to announce the show’s return. In a statement released on September 24, Nexstar indicated it was “continuing to evaluate the status of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on our ABC-affiliated local television stations” while engaging in discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company, aiming to ensure that the program respects community interests.
Sinclair’s statement further elaborated on its perspective: “Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience. We take seriously our responsibility as local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of our communities while also fulfilling our obligations to air national network programming.”
The company emphasized the importance of community engagement, stating, “Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives. We have also witnessed troubling acts of violence, including the shocking incident of a shooting at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento. These events underscore why responsible broadcasting matters and why respectful dialogue between differing voices remains so crucial.”
Sinclair proposed several measures aimed at bolstering accountability and community dialogue, including establishing a network-wide independent ombudsman. These suggestions were intended as collaborative initiatives between ABC affiliates and the ABC network, although they have yet to be adopted.
Reflecting on its stance, Sinclair clarified, “Our decision to preempt this program was independent of any government interaction or influence. Free speech provides broadcasters with the right to exercise judgment as to the content aired on their local stations. While we understand that not everyone will agree with our programming decisions, it is fundamentally inconsistent to advocate for free speech while demanding specific content be aired.”
Sinclair concluded its statement by reaffirming its commitment to local communities, saying, “As a company rooted in local stations, Sinclair remains dedicated to serving our communities with programming that reflects their priorities, earns their trust, and encourages constructive dialogue. We look forward to collaborating with ABC to deliver content that addresses a wide array of community interests.”
This turn of events follows Sinclair’s declaration on September 17, when the company announced it would indefinitely preempt Kimmel’s show due to his comments regarding “the MAGA gang” allegedly leveraging the suspect charged with Kirk’s murder for political gain. Nexstar’s simultaneous decision to remove “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from its ABC affiliates escalated the situation further.
Both Sinclair and Nexstar’s actions came shortly after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened to look into “news distortion” complaints against ABC stations unless Kimmel was dismissed. Both companies’ announcements were interpreted as attempts to align with the FCC and the Trump administration. Sinclair insists its decision to cut Kimmel’s show was unaffected by governmental influence, a sentiment echoed by Nexstar’s statements.
On the same day Sinclair made its announcement, ABC indicated that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would be “suspended indefinitely.” Following that, Disney reinstated Kimmel on September 23, with the show achieving exceptional ratings, even amidst the Sinclair and Nexstar boycotts – marking one of its highest-rated episodes ever.
Previously, Sinclair had stipulated that Kimmel must apologize to Kirk’s family and make a “meaningful personal donation” to them, as well as to Turning Point USA, the organization founded by Kirk, before the show could return. Those demands ultimately proved unfeasible for Kimmel and Disney’s team.
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