Sinclair and Nexstar are returning “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to ABC affiliate broadcast stations beginning Friday, the companies said in separate statements.
The announcements come three days after Disney’s ABC broadcast network returned the late night program to its air after a nearly week-long suspension. Disney had temporarily suspended the late night show following comments Kimmel made about the alleged murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement.
“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 honoring our obligations to air national network programming,” Sinclair said in a statement on Friday.
“Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives,” Sinclair said. “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.”
The broadcast station owners said earlier this week they would continue to preempt Kimmel’s late night show, meaning it would be unavailable on local stations for roughly 20% of the country, while they evaluated the situation and continued discussions with Disney.
Sinclair owns roughly 40 ABC affiliate stations in the U.S., including one in in Washington, D.C. Nexstar owns about 30 in markets including Salt Lake City and New Orleans.
Kimmel addressed the situation — and the ongoing preemptions — during his returning show this week.
“We are still on the air in most of the country, except, ironically, from Washington, D.C., where we have been preempted,” Kimmel said during Tuesday’s monologue. “After almost 23 years on the air, we’re suddenly not being broadcast in 20% of the country, which is not a situation we relish.”
Sinclair said Friday it had proposed measures to “strengthen accountability, viewer feedback, and community dialogue” at ABC and its affiliates.
“While ABC and Disney have not yet adopted these measures, and Sinclair respects their right to make those decisions under our network affiliate agreements, we believe such measures could strengthen trust and accountability,” it said.
Nexstar said in a statement: “We have had discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company and appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns.”
Disney declined to comment Friday.
Kimmel’s suspension last week came shortly after Nexstar announced it would not air the program in light of the host’s comments. Sinclair soon after said it would likewise preempt the program.
Those announcements followed comments from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr that suggested ABC affiliate stations could be at risk of losing broadcast station licenses over Kimmel’s remarks, which came during a show monologue.
The series of events raised questions about influence by the Trump administration on the media and First Amendment protections.
“Our decision to preempt this program was independent of any government interaction or influence,” Sinclair said Friday. “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.”
Earlier this week, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., sent a letter to Sinclair pushing to bring “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” back on air. Sinclair owns the Seattle ABC affiliate station.
Nexstar similarly denied any government influence.
“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,” Nexstar said in a statement.
“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,” the statement continued. “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.”
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