Nexstar and Sinclair bring Jimmy Kimmel's show back to local TV stations
[September 27, 2025]
By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS and ANDREW DALTON
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group
brought Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show back to their local TV
stations on Friday night, ending a dayslong TV blackout for dozens of
cities across the U.S.
The companies suspended the program on Sept. 17 over remarks the
comedian made in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s
killing. Disney-owned ABC suspended Kimmel the same day, following
threats of potential repercussions from the Trump-appointed head of the
Federal Communications Commission.
The companies' dual moves Friday mean “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will return
to local TV on Nexstar’s 28 ABC affiliates, from Topeka, Kansas, to New
Orleans, along with Sinclair's 38 local markets, from Seattle to
Washington D.C.
Kimmel's suspension lasted less than a week, while the affiliate
blackout stood for just over a week.
When the boycott began, Sinclair, which is known for its conservative
political content, called on Kimmel to apologize to Kirk’s family and
asked him to “make a meaningful personal donation” to Turning Point USA,
the nonprofit that Kirk founded.
When Kirk was killed, Kimmel called it a “senseless murder” and shared a
message of support for his family and other victims of gun violence on
social media, which he reiterated during his Tuesday return.
Kimmel’s original comments didn’t otherwise focus on Kirk. He instead
lambasted President Donald Trump and his administration’s response to
the killing. On his first show back, the comedian did not apologize, but
did say “it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a
young man” and acknowledged that to some, his comments “felt either
ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”
He also used a blend of humor and pointed messages to emphasize the
importance of free speech.
Maryland-based Sinclair and Texas-based Nexstar continued to preempt the
show for three days even after ABC and Disney returned it to national
airwaves.
New episodes of the show air Monday through Thursday. Friday night’s
rerun will be of Tuesday’s show — so the previously blacked-out stations
will air Kimmel's emotional return to the show. Viewers will have to
wait until Monday to get the host's take on the new developments.
In its statement Friday, Sinclair pointed to its "responsibility as
local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of
our communities, while also honoring our obligations to air national
network programming.”
The company added that it had received “thoughtful feedback from
viewers, advertisers and community leaders,” and noticed “troubling acts
of violence," referencing the shooting into the lobby of a Sacramento
station.
Sinclair said its proposals to Disney to strengthen accountability,
feedback and dialogue and appoint an ombudsman had not yet been adopted.
In a similar statement Friday, Nexstar said it appreciated Disney's
approach to its concerns and that it “remains committed to protecting
the First Amendment” while airing content that is “in the best interest
of the communities we serve.”
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This split screen image released by Disney shows host Jimmy Kimmel,
left, and Robert De Niro on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in Los Angeles on
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (Disney via AP)
 Both companies said their decisions
were not affected by influence from government or anyone else.
Disney representatives declined comment.
As a result of the boycott, viewers in cities representing roughly a
quarter of ABC's local TV affiliates had been left without the
late-night program on local TV. The blackouts inflamed a nationwide
uproar around First Amendment protections — particularly as the
Trump administration and other conservatives police speech after
Kirk’s killing. They also cast a spotlight on political influence in
the media landscape, with critics lambasting companies that they
accuse of censoring content.
Ahead of his suspension, Kimmel took aim at the president and his
“MAGA gang” of supporters for their response to Kirk's killing,
which Kimmel said included “finger-pointing” and attempts to
characterize the alleged shooter as “anything other than one of
them.”
These remarks angered many supporters of Kirk — as well as FCC
Chairman Brendan Carr, who accused Kimmel of appearing to “directly
mislead the American public” with his remarks about the man accused
of the killing. He warned that Disney and ABC’s local affiliates
could face repercussions if the comedian was not punished.
Carr later applauded Sinclair and Nexstar, for their decisions to
preempt the show.
Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith on the day the blackout began
called Kimmel’s comments “inappropriate and deeply insensitive," and
said that ABC’s suspension wasn’t enough, calling instead for
“immediate regulatory action.”
While local TV affiliates broadcast their own programming, such as
local news, they also contract with larger national broadcasters —
and pay them to air their national content, splitting advertising
revenue and fees from cable companies.
Matthew Dolgin, senior equity analyst at research firm Morningstar,
said he wasn’t surprised by Kimmel's return to the local stations.
“The relationship with Disney is far too important for these firms
to risk,” Dolgin said. And setting aside legal rights from either
side, he added, "Disney would’ve been free to take its affiliate
agreements elsewhere in 2026 if these relationships were too
difficult. That scenario would be devastating to Nexstar and
Sinclair.”
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AP Business Writer Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this
report. Grantham-Philips also reported from New York.
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