Overview
- Both station groups announced Friday that they will resume airing the show, ending preemptions that had removed it from roughly a quarter of ABC’s affiliate footprint.
- ABC had already reinstated Jimmy Kimmel earlier in the week, and his return episode drew about 6.3 million TV viewers and roughly 26 million social views.
- Sinclair and Nexstar said their programming decisions were independent of government influence, after FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly criticized Kimmel and raised the prospect of “news distortion” complaints.
- Sinclair previously demanded a direct apology and a donation related to Charlie Kirk’s family and Turning Point USA; the company later proposed measures such as an independent ombudsman, which Disney has not adopted.
- Affiliates cited feedback from viewers and advertisers and referenced a shooting at an ABC station in Sacramento, while analysts noted the blackout pushed audiences to digital platforms.