Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns, but Sinclair Will Not Air It

In an announcement today, it was highlighted that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is set to make a comeback. However, Sinclair Broadcast Group, a major player in the local television market in the U.S., has declared that its affiliate stations will not show the program.

Owned by the Walt Disney Company, ABC, the network that had temporarily pulled Kimmel from the air due to his controversial comments regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, confirmed that Kimmel will be back on ABC this Tuesday night.

Despite this, Sinclair, which operates 178 television stations across 81 markets, stated that it won’t be airing nightly talk shows, with 30 of its stations serving as ABC affiliates.

A spokesperson for Sinclair noted, “Starting Tuesday night, Sinclair will be ahead of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Beyond ABC, we’ll replace it with affiliate stations and news programs.” The spokesperson also mentioned that ABC is continuously assessing the situation regarding the show’s return.

Following the controversy, Sinclair criticized Kimmel’s remarks about Kirk, labeling them as “inappropriate and deeply insensitive during important moments for our country.”

Sinclair’s Vice President, Jason Smith, commented, “We believe that broadcasters have a responsibility to foster respectful and constructive dialogue within our communities. This incident emphasizes the necessity for the FCC to take swift action on regulations governing large national networks and their local broadcasters.”