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Sinclair and Nexstar have been pre-empting Mr. Kimmel’s show since he returned this week.
Sept. 26, 2025Updated 5:25 p.m. ET
Sinclair and Nexstar, the two large local TV owners that dropped “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after the late-night comedian’s remarks about the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, are resuming the program after negotiations with ABC, ending a highly unusual boycott that became a flashpoint for free speech in the United States.
The companies, which own scores of TV stations across the United States, had been pre-empting the show since its return on Tuesday, blacking out the program for millions of Americans. Both announced their decision in statements on Friday.
“Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience,” Sinclair said in a statement. “We take seriously our responsibility as local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of our communities, while also honoring our obligations to air national network programming.”
The face-off with Disney began last week, days after a monologue from Mr. Kimmel that led many conservatives, including the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, to argue that he had mischaracterized the political beliefs of Mr. Kirk’s shooter. ABC initially suspended his show indefinitely. He returned on Tuesday, setting off a fierce debate over First Amendment freedoms.
Sinclair and Nexstar refused to air his shows upon Mr. Kimmel’s return, leading to a tug of war between them on one side and Disney, ABC’s parent company, on the other. The standoff laid bare the inner workings of broadcast television, which relies on a sprawling network of local stations to deliver National Football League games, top-of-the-hour weather updates and late-night comedy to millions of Americans.
The announcements from Sinclair and Nexstar came within hours of one another. Sinclair, which went first, said in a statement that it had been in discussions with Disney about instituting a network-wide ombudsman — akin to a referee for complaints about content — but that Disney had “not yet adopted these measures.” Nexstar, which announced its decision late Friday afternoon, also said that it had “constructive” conversations with Disney, adding that it was committed to “broadcasting content that is in the best interest of the communities we serve.”
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