Sinclair Broadcast Group has reversed its decision and will once again broadcast “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on its ABC-affiliated stations nationwide. The company cited “thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives” as the reason for the change.
The initial move to replace Jimmy Kimmel's show came after the ABC network announced a temporary hiatus of "Kimmel" following controversial comments made by the host regarding the death of Charlie Kirk. These comments drew significant criticism from the GOP, Donald Trump, and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr.
When ABC announced that it would be temporarily replacing “Kimmel” with repeats of “Celebrity Family Feud” starting September 17, 2025, Sinclair initially planned to air a special on Kirk. However, it later changed course and aired the network-provided programming. When ABC announced "Kimmel" would return September 23, 2025, both Sinclair and Nexstar Media Group opted to black out the program on their ABC affiliates until Sept. 26, 2025. Nexstar also reversed course. Friday “Kimmel” shows are typically repeats.
Reports suggested that both Sinclair and Nexstar were in "discussions" with ABC regarding the situation. While the details of these discussions remain unclear, affiliate agreements generally require stations to air network-provided programming, particularly during primetime and late-night hours, with exceptions made for breaking news or pre-negotiated local needs.
There have been instances where stations have opted out of network programming due to content concerns or anticipated low ratings. For example, in 2009, WHDH, the NBC affiliate in Boston, preempted "The Jay Leno Show" in favor of local news, citing concerns about the show's impact on its late newscasts. This decision strained the relationship between WHDH and NBC, ultimately leading to a change in affiliation in 2017.
Some speculated that Sinclair's actions were an attempt to influence ABC's programming decisions or curry favor with the Trump administration. Sinclair has a history of right-leaning moves, including requiring stations to air conservative editorials. It also faced criticism for planning a program questioning John Kerry's war record before the 2004 election.
In 2018, many of Sinclair's stations aired promos with anchors reading from similar scripts, which was seen by some as an attempt to undermine the media industry. These promos were sometimes described as “hostage videos.”