Sinclair Broadcast Group announced the end of its preemption of Jimmy Kimmel Live! The late night talk show will return on Friday, Sept. 26, to Sinclair’s ABC affiliates.
“Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience,” Sinclair said in a statement on Friday. “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.”
Operating ABC stations in 30 markets, Sinclair said its decision came after receiving “thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives.” The statement also acknowledged the impact of the shooting last week 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 statement said.
Caught in the free speech crosshairs
ABC parent Disney suspended Kimmel’s show on Sept. 17, following threats from the head of the Federal Communications Commission. Disney pointed to Kimmel’s “ill-timed and thus insensitive” comments about the suspect in Charlie Kirk’s killing. On Truth Social, President Trump congratulated ABC for its “courage” in shutting down Kimmel’s show.
But Disney experienced enormous blowback for the decision, with many seeing the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! as an assault on First Amendment rights. Earlier this week, hundreds of big name artists – including Olivia Rodrigo, Tom Hanks and Pedro Pascal – signed on to an open letter published by the ACLU speaking out against Kimmel’s removal from the airwaves. Members of the public canceled their Disney+ streaming service subscriptions and vacations at Disney resorts.
“Disney is very sensitive to consumer perception and to consumer boycotts,” said Los Angeles entertainment attorney Jonathan Handel in an interview with NPR. “This is just the beginning of a widespread boycott emerging in the fight for free speech.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to national airwaves on Tuesday, where it was watched by more than 6 million viewers, according to a ratings report ABC issued on Wednesday. This, despite the fact that the show could not be seen by roughly a quarter of U.S. TV households. And Kimmel’s monologue garnered over 26 million views online. NPR has requested ratings information on Wednesday and Thursday’s viewership.
Sinclair said it was in discussions with ABC earlier this week about “the show’s potential return.” (Last week, the group had called on Kimmel to apologize to Kirk’s family and make a personal donation to his organization, Turning Point USA.)
Sinclair explained in Friday’s statement its decision to preempt Kimmel’s program was “independent of any government interaction or influence.” The broadcasting group 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 continues to preempt Kimmel
Sinclair was one of two major broadcasting groups to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week in the aftermath of Kirk’s assassination.
Nexstar – which operates more than 30 ABC stations around the country – took the show off the air even before ABC suspended it. In a statement earlier this week, the company said it was waiting on assurance that “all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.” Nexstar did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for an update in light of Sinclair’s news.
Nexstar is in the middle of negotiating a major merger, awaiting FCC approval to acquire TEGNA, a major U.S. media company that owns and operates dozens of local TV stations around the country.
