Sinclair Broadcast Group has announced a change of course, stating that they will resume airing “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on their ABC-affiliated stations nationwide. This decision follows a period of deliberation and controversy sparked by comments made by Kimmel. The company acknowledged the importance of “thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives” in reaching this conclusion.
Previously, Sinclair, known for its conservative leanings, had intended to replace Kimmel's late-night show. This occurred after ABC announced it would pause “Kimmel” following the host’s contentious remarks about the death of Charlie Kirk, which ignited criticism from the GOP, Donald Trump, and FCC Brendan Carr. When ABC initially announced that new or repeat episodes of “Kimmel” would not be available to affiliates starting September 17, 2025, and would be replaced by “Celebrity Family Feud” reruns, Sinclair had planned to air a special about Kirk. They later reversed this decision and broadcasted the network's provided programming.
Despite ABC announcing the return of “Kimmel” on September 23, 2025, both Sinclair and Nexstar Media Group chose to preempt the program on their ABC affiliates until September 26, 2025. Notably, Friday episodes of “Kimmel” typically consist of repeats. Nexstar subsequently announced their intention to cease preempting the show. Reports indicated that both owner groups were engaged in "discussions" with ABC regarding the matter, though the specifics of these discussions remained unclear.
Affiliate agreements generally require stations to air most network programming, particularly primetime and late-night shows and news broadcasts. Exceptions are usually made for breaking news. While stations sometimes negotiate specific exceptions to network programming or alter its broadcast time, this practice is becoming less common. Networks typically allow more flexibility during overnight hours and certain weekend slots, allowing local stations to preempt or reschedule programming to accommodate local content and syndication.
Whether Sinclair and Nexstar’s decision to preempt “Kimmel” constituted a violation of their affiliate agreement with ABC, and how ABC responded to the blackout, remains uncertain. History offers examples of stations opting out of network programming due to content issues or concerns about low ratings. In 2009, when NBC introduced the 10 p.m. eastern “Jay Leno Show,” WHDH, the NBC affiliate in Boston owned by Sunbeam Television, chose to preempt the show in favor of additional local news. The station reportedly worried that “Leno” would negatively impact the lead-in to its 11 p.m. local newscasts. This decision strained relations between WHDH and NBC, ultimately leading to the termination of their affiliation agreement in 2017, with NBC acquiring WBTS and WHDH becoming independent.
It appears that Sinclair and Nexstar's actions may have been an attempt to pressure ABC to cancel Kimmel or improve their standing with the Trump administration. Nexstar's pending acquisition of Tegna necessitates changes to FCC guidelines on station ownership caps and local market limits. Sinclair has also announced plans to sell its stations. FCC approval is required to transfer a TV station license. Earlier in 2025, the FCC temporarily blocked the transfer of CBS-owned TV station licenses to Skydance Media following accusations by Trump of misleading editing in an interview. Despite doubts about the suit’s validity, CBS parent Paramount Global paid $16 million to Trump’s library fund to settle, reportedly to facilitate Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount, though official denials of any quid pro quo were issued. The sale was approved shortly after the settlement.
Sinclair has previously faced scrutiny for its conservative stance, including mandating the broadcast of editorials from a conservative executive. It also faced criticism for plans to air a program questioning John Kerry’s war record before the 2004 election. In 2018, many Sinclair stations aired promos featuring anchors reading similar scripts, perceived by some as an attempt to undermine the media amidst right-wing messaging. These promos were referred to as “hostage videos.”