Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group have announced that their ABC-affiliate stations will resume airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! from Friday night, ending a boycott that left about 25% of US TV viewers unable to watch the show.
The two companies, which together own 70 ABC-affiliate stations, had continued to preempt the late-night talk show even after ABC put Kimmel back on air. Sinclair and Nexstar are the largest owners of local TV stations in the US, with Sinclair operating over 185 stations across 85 markets and Nexstar owning 200 stations in 116 markets.
In a statement, Sinclair said it received “thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders” and that its objective was to ensure programming “remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience”. The company noted it had proposed measures such as a “network-wide independent ombudsman” to strengthen accountability, but ABC and Disney did not agree.
Nexstar separately stated it had “constructive” discussions with Disney executives. The controversy escalated when FCC chair Brendan Carr threatened regulatory action over Kimmel’s comments. Nexstar is seeking FCC approval for a merger with Tegna, which would require changes to national audience reach limits.
Sinclair emphasised that its decision to preempt the show was independent of government influence, stating that “free speech provides broadcasters with the right to exercise judgment as to the content on their local stations”.
