Sinclair, the broadcast station owner that took “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air amid criticism of the host’s comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, said that the show will return Friday night on the company’s ABC affiliates.
“Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience,” Sinclair said in a statement on Friday.
“We take seriously our responsibility as local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of our communities, while also honoring our obligations to air national network programming,” said the company, which owns and operates 30 ABC affiliate stations in 27 markets.
Sinclair and Nexstar, another owner of ABC affiliate stations, announced last week they would pre-empt airings of Kimmel’s talk show after the comedian criticized Republicans for their response to Kirk’s killing. Federal Communications Chairman Brendan Carr, who regulates the broadcast television industry, accused Kimmel of “the sickest conduct possible.”
Disney, the owner of ABC, briefly suspended Kimmel before resuming production on his show on Tuesday. The return episode drew more than 6 million total viewers — even though it wasn’t available in more than a quarter of U.S. households thanks to the Nexstar and Sinclair blackouts.
Sinclair insisted Friday that its “decision to preempt this program was independent of any government interaction or influence.”
“Free speech provides broadcasters with the right to exercise judgment as to the content on their local stations,” the company 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.”
Sinclair said it pitched various proposals to Disney during “ongoing and constructive discussions,” including the hiring of a “network-wide independent ombudsman,” though the Magic Kingdom has “not yet adopted these measures.”
Disney has not made editorial or content concessions to Nexstar, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
Sinclair made other public demands last week. The company called on Kimmel to “issue a direct apology to the Kirk family” and “make a meaningful personal donation” to Kirk’s family and Turning Point USA, the conservative activist organization he founded.
It remained unclear Friday afternoon whether Nexstar would allow Kimmel’s show back on the air. The company said Wednesday it was “continuing to evaluate the status of” Kimmel’s show.
“We are engaged in productive discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company, with a focus on ensuring the program reflects and respects the diverse interests of the communities we serve,” Nexstar said in a statement.
Four Democratic lawmakers announced Wednesday they are opening a probe into Nexstar and Sinclair focused on whether their decisions to pull Kimmel’s show “relate to regulatory issues pending with the Trump administration.”
Nexstar is seeking FCC approval for a proposed $6.2 billion merger with a rival, Tegna. Sinclair is exploring merger options for its broadcast business, according to CNBC. Together, Nexstar and Sinclair account for roughly 70 ABC affiliates across the U.S.
Kimmel has been at the center of a national firestorm after he commented on the political motivations of the man suspected of killing Kirk at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
“The MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said on his Sept. 15 show.
Investigators had not yet released details about the suspect’s possible motive at the time. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has said the suspect grew up in a conservative household in Utah but later became influenced by what he characterized as “leftist ideology.”
In the opening minutes of Tuesday’s comeback episode, Kimmel, 57, passionately defended free speech and mocked President Donald Trump.
“This show is not important,” Kimmel said. “What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”
He also attempted to smooth tensions.
“You understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Kimmel said, his voice breaking. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
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