“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is set to return to all ABC affiliates, following a week-long suspension by some broadcasters.
Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group announced Friday that they would reinstate the late-night program on their ABC-affiliated stations, reversing an earlier decision.
The two media conglomerates, which oversee numerous ABC stations across the United States, had previously pulled the show in response to comments made by Kimmel regarding the death of Charlie Kirk.
Sinclair cited “thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders” as the impetus for reinstating the program.
Kimmel himself had faced a brief suspension from the entire ABC network, returning to air on Tuesday.
In his opening monologue upon his return, Kimmel stated, “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.”
With the lifting of the blackout, viewers in cities such as Washington, D.C., Nashville, New Orleans, and Seattle will once again be able to view “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Sinclair noted in a press release that discussions with ABC and its parent company, Disney, are “ongoing and constructive.” The company said it had proposed measures to promote “accountability” within Disney.
However, Sinclair indicated that none of these measures have been implemented to date.
Nexstar echoed the sentiment of positive dialogue with ABC, stating in a press release that they “appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns.” The company affirmed its “commitment to protecting the First Amendment.”
The controversy arose following Kimmel’s September 15 monologue, where he commented on the death of conservative figure Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel stated that former President Donald Trump and his allies were “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and were attempting to “score political points from it.”
He also compared Trump’s reaction to the influencer’s murder to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, suggested the possibility of revoking ABC’s broadcast license during a conservative podcast interview.
Following Carr’s remarks, Sinclair and Nexstar announced their decision to cease airing the show on their affiliated ABC stations.
Subsequently, ABC temporarily suspended the show entirely.
This action ignited widespread debate regarding freedom of speech, including online campaigns to cancel Disney+ subscriptions.
Disney announced on Monday that Kimmel would return to the air, although Sinclair and Nexstar initially maintained their decision to keep the show off their stations.
Kimmel’s return episode on Tuesday garnered record ratings, with 6.26 million viewers tuning in live, despite the show not being aired on a quarter of ABC stations.
While expressing regret for his initial joke about Kirk, Kimmel also criticized Trump and Carr for what he described as “mob” censorship tactics.
“Our leader celebrates people losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke,” Kimmel said, adding that Trump openly rooting for people to lose their jobs was “un-American” and “dangerous.”
Trump voiced his disapproval of Kimmel’s reinstatement.
“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” he wrote in a social media post.
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