UPDATE: Nexstar Media Group is also ending its preemption of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to its 32 ABC affiliates beginning tonight following discussions with Disney, which owns ABC.
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Sinclair Broadcast Group has dropped its boycott of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on its ABC affiliate stations and will return the show to its airwaves Friday night.
Sinclair pulled the show from its stations over a week ago following the late-night host’s remarks about the right-wing reaction to the Charlie Kirk shooting.
The decision affects viewers in nearly 30 markets who have been unable to watch Kimmel’s show on their local ABC stations since it returned Tuesday night to massive ratings.
Sinclair Broadcast Group said that it will resume broadcasting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on its ABC affiliate stations Friday night.
The decision affects viewers in nearly 30 markets — including D.C. https://t.co/VFCZLx5uIi
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 26, 2025
Sinclair’s announcement comes just a day after Marketplace reported on local advertisers in those markets had begun to pull their ads.
From Marketplace:
The performing arts nonprofit Seattle Theatre Group has postponed future advertising with the Sinclair-owned station KOMO, which is based in Washington, although it currently does not have any ads running on the station.
“In response to both ABC and Sinclair’s actions to limit free speech, which we do not agree with, we paused all future campaigns that we have scheduled with KOMO,” an STG spokesperson told Marketplace over email.
Another Washington-based company, Best Plumbing, issued a statement on its website in support of free speech after consumers began writing letters to them.
The company also wrote, “We will review pending contracts and upcoming campaigns to ensure our advertising continues to align with both our business goals and the values of transparency and fairness our customers expect.”
Read more here.
Many consumers rushed to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions in protest after ABC’s decision to suspend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” last week. Now that Kimmel is back on the air — at least in some parts of the country — they’re turning their attention to Nexstar and Sinclair.
— Marketplace (@marketplace.org) September 25, 2025 at 8:00 PM
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