After a brief hiatus following Sinclair Broadcast Group’s announcement, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is set to return to late-night television on Tuesday, but will remain off the air in many markets.
Sinclair stated, “As of Tuesday night, we will be preempting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ in favor of news programming on ABC’s affiliate stations,” in a post shared on X on Monday.
There’s still an ongoing discussion with ABC about the show’s possible return.
This decision impacts numerous ABC affiliates in several important markets, including WJLA in Washington, DC, Como in Seattle, Katu in Portland, Oregon, and Wham in Rochester, New York.
Additional major affiliates affected include WSYX in Columbus, Ohio, WBMA in Birmingham, Alabama, and KATV in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Sinclair operates over 180 stations across the country, with 41 being Disney-owned ABC affiliates, marking it as the largest owner of these stations.
Jimmy Kimmel, who has a hefty annual salary of $15 million, is making a return after being sidelined by Disney last week amid controversies involving statements tied to conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
His absence led to protests outside an ABC TV station, demanding a boycott of parent company Disney.
Disney remarked that Kimmel was pulled to “avoid inflaming the already tense situation in the country,” calling his remarks “insensitive.”
Kimmel is anticipated to address the controversy in his Tuesday monologue, but there are indications that he may not stop at just an apology.
Sinclair had previously asked Kimmel to apologize directly to the Kirk family and make a donation to Turning Point USA, a group co-founded by Kirk.
Failure to comply could lead Sinclair to keep the show off the air.
Vice-Chair Jason Smith earlier criticized Kimmel’s remarks as “deeply insensitive during crucial moments for our nation.”
This stalemate arrives as Sinclair faces increasing pressure from regulatory bodies and advertisers.
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner has accused the FCC chairman of caving to “increasingly out-of-control threats.”
Nexstar, which manages 32 ABC affiliates, has not yet made a decision on whether to mirror Sinclair’s actions. Combined, these companies cover nearly a quarter of ABC’s household reach, raising concerns about a significant portion of the country potentially missing Kimmel’s broadcast.
This report is open for comments from both Sinclair and Nexstar.
ABC affiliates owned by Sinclair include:
- KTXS – Abilene, Texas – Jeetwater (ABC, CW)
- KVII – Amarillo, Texas (ABC, CW)
- kvih – Amarillo, Texas (ABC, CW)
- wabm – Birmingham, Alabama (Mytv, ABC)
- WBMA – Birmingham, Alabama (ABC)
- WDBB – Birmingham, Alabama (CW, ABC)
- wicd – Champaign – Springfield – Decatur, Illinois (ABC)
- wics – Champaign – Springfield – Decatur, Illinois (ABC)
- wchs – Charleston – Huntington, WV (ABC, Fox)
- wciv – Charleston, South Carolina (Mytv, ABC)
- WTVC – Chattanooga, Tennessee (ABC, Fox)
- wsyx – Columbus, Ohio (ABC, Mytv, Fox)
- wkef – Dayton, Ohio (ABC, FOX, MYTV)
- Kaef – Eureka, California (ABC)
- WPDE – Florence – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (ABC, CW)
- WXLV – Greensboro – High Point – Winston-Salem, NC (ABC)
- wlos – Greenville – SC/Asheville, NC/Anderson, SC (ABC, MYTV)
- wcti – Greenville – Newbern – Washington, North Carolina (ABC)
- KHGI – Lincoln – Hastings – Kearney, Nevada (ABC, Fox)
- KHGI-CD – Lincoln – Hastings – Kearney, Nevada (ABC)
- KWNB – Lincoln – Hastings – Kearney, Nevada (ABC, Fox)
- kwnb-ld – Lincoln – Hastings – Kearney, Nevada (ABC, Fox)
- KATV – Little Rock Pine Bluff, Ark (ABC)
- WGXA – Macon, Georgia (FOX, ABC)
- wear – Mobile, Alabama/Pensacola, Florida (ABC)
- KTVO – Ottumwa, Iowa/Kirksville, MO (ABC, CBS)
- Katu – Portland, Oregon (ABC)
- Khqa – Quincy, Illinois/Hannibal, Missouri/Kee Okuk, Iowa (CBS, ABC)
- wset – Roanoke – Lynchburg, VA (ABC)
- wham – Rochester, New York (ABC, CW)
- ktxe-ld – San Angelo, Texas (ABC)
- Komo – Seattle – Tacoma, Washington (ABC)
- kdnl – St. Louis, Missouri (ABC)
- WGTQ – Traverse City – Cadillac, Michigan (ABC, NBC)
- WGTU – Traverse City – Cadillac, Michigan (ABC, NBC)
- WPBN – Traverse City – Cadillac, Michigan (NBC, ABC)
- wtom – Traverse City – Cadillac, Michigan (NBC, ABC)
- Ktul – Tulsa, Oklahoma (ABC)
- wjla – Washington DC (ABC)
