Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group announced that their ABC-affiliated stations will resume airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Friday night, reversing their previous preemption of the program. This decision follows a period during which the two companies kept the show off the air, despite ABC’s reinstatement of Kimmel.
The preemption impacted approximately 25% of viewers in the U.S. as Sinclair and Nexstar own a combined total of 70 ABC-affiliate stations. Sinclair operates more than 185 stations across 85 markets, while Nexstar has 200 stations in 116 markets.
In a statement, Sinclair noted it had received feedback from a variety of stakeholders and aimed to provide programming that is accurate and engaging for a wide audience. The company indicated that it had engaged in productive discussions with ABC about improving accountability and viewer feedback, including a proposal for a network-wide independent ombudsman. However, ABC and Disney have not accepted these proposals.
Nexstar also expressed its appreciation for discussions with Disney regarding mutual concerns related to Kimmel’s programming. The controversy around Kimmel intensified when Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), threatened regulatory consequences for broadcasters if Kimmel’s critical commentary was not addressed.
Nexstar is also pursuing FCC approval for a merger with Tegna, which would necessitate changes to existing audience reach limits imposed on station ownership.
Initially, Nexstar announced its decision to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live!, followed by Sinclair, leading to a brief production pause for the show. Notably, former President Donald Trump praised ABC for initially taking Kimmel off the air, but criticized the network for its decision to reinstate the program.
Sinclair has stated that its actions in preempting Kimmel were made independently and not under government influence, asserting the right of broadcasters to exercise judgment regarding their content.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/sep/26/sinclair-end-boycott-of-jimmy-kimmel-live