Sinclair Ends Boycott of Jimmy Kimmel Live! Amid Controversy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sinclair Broadcast Group announced Friday that it will resume airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC-affiliated stations, ending a boycott that began earlier this month. The show, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will return to local airwaves this evening.

The decision comes after Sinclair was one of two major station groups that temporarily pulled the late-night program off the air in response to Kimmel’s comments about the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The preemption sparked public outcry and questions about free speech and programming decisions in the media.

In a statement, Sinclair emphasized that its decision to black out Kimmel’s show was made without any governmental influence. The company stated, “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.”

Despite the show returning to Sinclair’s 40 ABC-affiliated stations across the U.S., Nexstar Media Group, another major station owner, has not yet indicated when Kimmel’s show will resume on its 32 ABC stations. Nexstar is currently facing scrutiny due to its ties with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who had previously threatened to pursue actions against ABC stations unless Kimmel was dismissed.

During a recent monologue, Kimmel referenced the preemptions, humorously acknowledging their impact on his show’s ratings. He stated, “Even though we are still being preempted in 60 American cities, we had our second-highest rated show in almost 23 years on the air.” His recent episodes have gained significant attention, with over 21 million views on YouTube.

Sinclair previously called for Kimmel to apologize to Kirk’s family and make a donation to Turning Point USA, an organization tied to Kirk. However, Kimmel has not publicly addressed these demands. At a recent show, he clarified that he did not intend to make light of the situation, emphasizing the seriousness of the incident.

Following the announcement of the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Sinclair said it engaged in discussions with ABC to propose measures aimed at increasing accountability and community dialogue, including the introduction of a network-wide independent ombudsman. However, ABC has yet to adopt these proposals, according to Sinclair.

As of now, the situation remains fluid with Nexstar still contemplating when to resume airing Kimmel’s show, which has become a focal point of debate about media freedom and corporate responsibility in broadcasting.