Local TV stations defy ABC, refuse to air Jimmy Kimmel Live as suspension is lifted

Disney on Monday announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to ABC on Tuesday after a suspension tied to ill-timed remarks about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The decision ends a weeklong pause that drew national attention to the balance between free expression and broadcast standards.

Several major local station groups, including Nexstar and Sinclair, said they would not air the late-night program in its scheduled time slots, opting instead to run regular programming. In statements issued on Tuesday, Nexstar said it had preempted the show following what ABC described as 'ill-timed and insensitive' comments at a critical moment in the nation's discourse. 'We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve,' the company said. Sinclair, whose ABC affiliates are clustered across several markets, said it would preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! across its ABC stations and replace it with news programming. It added that discussions with ABC were ongoing to evaluate the show's potential return.

Disney, which owns ABC, explained that the suspension was triggered by comments deemed inappropriate and insensitive at a time of heightened national sensitivity. The media company said in a separate statement that after several days of 'thoughtful conversations with Jimmy' it decided to bring the show back on Tuesday. The decision to return comes amid a broader debate about press freedoms, broadcast standards and the role of late-night celebrities in political discourse.

The episode of controversy arose as federal regulators signaled a willingness to take action against the network if required, prompting a national conversation about the boundaries of free speech in broadcasting. The episode also intersected with political rhetoric: former President Donald Trump welcomed Kimmel's suspension and suggested that some TV networks ought to have their licenses revoked for negative coverage of his administration.

In a separate development, authorities reported that a man was arrested last Friday after firing a gun into the lobby of an ABC affiliate in Sacramento, California. Investigators found a note in the suspect's car reading 'they're next,' a message prosecutors said related to Trump administration officials, though authorities did not specify a direct link to Kimmel's remarks. Law enforcement officials noted the episode added urgency to the station-level decisions unfolding across the country.

Nexstar and Sinclair together control more than 20% of ABC's affiliated stations, according to reporting by the New York Times. The dynamic highlights how local ownership can influence programming decisions even when a network, like ABC, maintains ultimate control over the nationally broadcast schedule. The case has fed a wider debate about how networks balance editorial standards and audience reactions with the economic and political realities of local media markets.