Nexstar and Sinclair bring Jimmy Kimmel's show back to local TV stations

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 days-long TV blackout for dozens of cities across the US.

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 apologise 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 apologise, 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 humour and pointed messages to emphasise 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 honouring 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.”

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 characterise 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."