Sinclair and Nexstar have both announced that they have ended their preemption of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” The broadcast station owners each said the show will return Friday night on their ABC affiliates.
The move comes days after Disney’s ABC reinstated the show to its airwaves following the suspension of the program over comments made by Kimmel in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination about President Donald Trump and his MAGA base.
Sinclair’s statement
“Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives,” Sinclair said Friday in a statement. “We have also witnessed troubling acts of violence, including the despicable 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 important.”
Sinclair also noted that it had “proposed measures” to ABC to “strengthen accountability, viewer feedback, and community dialogue, including a network-wide independent ombudsman.” The broadcaster acknowledged that ABC and Disney have not yet agreed to the proposal and that it “respects their right to make those decisions under our network affiliate agreements.”
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“Our decision to preempt was independent of any government interaction or influence,” the company added. “Free speech provides broadcasters with the right to exercise judgment as to the content on their local stations. 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.”
Nexstar also announces end of Kimmel preemption
Sinclair, along with other broadcast station owner Nexstar, said prior to the announcement that they would continue to preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” reportedly resulting in the show being blacked out for about 20% of local stations nationwide.
As of Friday afternoon, Nexstar announced that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would also return to their ABC affiliates.
“We have had discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company and appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns,” Nexstar said in a statement to Straight Arrow News. “As a local broadcaster, Nexstar remains committed to protecting the First Amendment while producing and airing local and national news that is fact-based and unbiased and, above all, broadcasting content that is in the best interest of the communities we serve. We stand apart from cable television, monolithic streaming services, and national networks in our commitment – and obligation – to be stewards of the public airwaves and to protect and reflect the specific sensibilities of our communities. To be clear, our commitment to those principles has guided our decisions throughout this process, independent of any external influence from government agencies or individuals.”
Backlash from Trump
President Donald Trump celebrated Kimmel’s initial removal from the air and questioned why he was allowed back on air earlier this week following ABC’s announcement on the return of his show. Trump also suggested he may take legal action against ABC over the move.
Before Sinclair and Nexstar preempted Kimmel’s program, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr indicated ABC affiliates may be at risk of having their broadcast licenses revoked over the late-night show host’s remarks in his opening monologue on Sept. 16.
Kimmel receives strong ratings despite preemption
According to CNBC, Sinclair owns about 40 ABC affiliates in the United States, while Nexstar owns roughly 30 across the nation.
Kimmel acknowledged the preemption of his show in some parts of the country in his return to television on Tuesday.
“We are still on the air in most of the country, except ironically, from Washington D.C., where we have been preempted,” Kimmel said. “After almost 23 years on air, we’re suddenly not broadcast in 20% of the country, which is not a situation we relish.”
As Straight Arrow News reported, Kimmel’s first show back received strong ratings, drawing more than six million viewers, despite preemption on some ABC affiliates.
