Kimmel’s return to Nexstar, Sinclair ABC stations ends local TV blackout

Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group brought Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night program back to their local television stations Friday, ending a dayslong blackout in dozens of markets that began after comments surrounding the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Disney-owned ABC suspended the show the same day, amid warnings from the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission about potential repercussions. The combined moves mean Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to Nexstar’s 28 ABC affiliates, spanning from Topeka, Kansas, to New Orleans, as well as Sinclair’s 38 local markets, from Seattle to Washington, D.C.

The resumption covers a broad swath of the country, with Kimmel returning to local airwaves across both groups’ affiliations. The suspension of Kimmel lasted less than a week, while the affiliate blackout stood for just over a week. When the boycott began, Sinclair, 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 Kirk founded. When Kirk was killed, Kimmel called it a “senseless murder” and shared a message of sympathy for his family and other victims of gun violence on social media, which he reiterated during his Tuesday return.

Kimmel’s original comments did not primarily target 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 said “it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man” and acknowledged that to some, his remarks “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.

New episodes will air Monday through Thursday as scheduled. Friday night’s rerun will be Tuesday’s show, and the stations that were blacked out will broadcast Kimmel’s emotional return on Friday. Viewers will have to wait until Monday to hear the host’s take on the latest 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 noted “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 stressed that their decisions were not influenced by government pressure or any other external force. Disney representatives declined to comment.

The boycott left viewers in cities representing roughly a quarter of ABC’s local affiliates without the late-night program, fueling a nationwide debate over First Amendment protections and the influence of political considerations in how media outlets choose to air content. Ahead of the suspension, Kimmel had targeted the president and his “MAGA gang” of supporters for their handling of the Kirk situation, a stance that drew sharp responses from Kirk’s supporters and from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who accused Kimmel of “directly mislead[ing] the American public” and warned that Disney and ABC’s local outlets could face repercussions if the comedian was not punished. Carr later applauded Sinclair and Nexstar for their decisions to preempt the show.

Industry observers noted that the relationship between large networks and their local affiliates is complex and financially intertwined. Morningstar analyst Matthew Dolgin said the networks likely would not risk their affiliate relationships with Disney, adding that Disney could move its affiliate agreements elsewhere in 2026 if the partnerships became untenable. That scenario, he said, would be damaging to both Nexstar and Sinclair but remains unlikely so long as the networks balance national programming with local accountability.

Sinclair’s leadership, including Vice Chairman Jason Smith, had characterized Kimmel’s remarks as “inappropriate and deeply insensitive” at the outset and urged not only an apology but broader accountability. While the new arrangements restore local access to Kimmel, the broader debate over media responsibility, political influence, and content moderation is likely to continue as audiences weigh what constitutes appropriate editorial expression in late-night television.

As new episodes resume, Kimmel’s forthcoming material is expected to address the developments surrounding the Kimmel incident and the renewed access to his show on local airwaves. The show’s return marks a close to a fraught chapter for both networks and ABC’s affiliates, with audiences awaiting a clearer sense of how free speech and community standards will be balanced going forward.