Sinclair Ends Preemption of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’

Sinclair said it would bring the show back while continuing talks with ABC on accountability and community standards.

Sinclair Broadcast Group said on Sept. 26 it will resume airing “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on its ABC affiliates, ending a four-day preemption of the late-night program sparked by Kimmel’s remarks about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Sinclair, the nation’s largest operator of ABC stations, said in a statement that its earlier decision to preempt the show was independent of any government influence, and that it sought to balance free-speech concerns with community standards. The company said it will continue discussions with ABC about measures to strengthen accountability and viewer trust.

“Free speech provides broadcasters with the right to exercise judgment as to the content on their local stations,” Sinclair said. “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.”

The blowback came from Kimmel’s on-air remarks suggesting the shooter was aligned with the MAGA movement and seemingly accusing supporters of President Donald Trump of falsely painting him as a leftist to “score political points.” Prosecutors have said the suspect, Tyler Robinson, left anti-fascist messages at the scene, and officials including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox have suggested an ideological motive tied to the left.

Kirk, a Christian conservative influencer and supporter of Trump, was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while speaking at a Utah college. The 31-year-old was credited with building support for Trump among younger voters and with helping secure his 2024 victory.

Sinclair had pulled the show on Sept. 22, with a company executive calling Kimmel’s comments “inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country.” The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, also briefly suspended production of the program, calling the remarks “ill-timed” and “insensitive.”

Later, Disney announced that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would be returning on Sept. 23, after “thoughtful conversations with Jimmy” about controversial comments. Still, Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would continue to preempt Kimmel’s show on the dozens of local ABC affiliates that they own.

Last week, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said he believed Kimmel was trying to mislead the public with his statements and that ABC had an obligation to act, warning the network could face scrutiny if it did not.

By Tom Ozimek

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