ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is set to return to the air on Tuesday, following a nearly weeklong suspension by the network. The decision comes after backlash over Kimmel’s monologue criticizing political reactions to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. However, Sinclair Broadcast Group, one of the largest owners of local TV stations in the U.S., announced it will not air the show on its ABC affiliates.
Sinclair stated it will preempt Kimmel with local news programming while discussions with ABC continue. Nexstar, another major station group that halted the show last week, has not confirmed whether it will resume airing it.
Kimmel was suspended after Federal Communications Commission (FCC) commissioner Brendan Carr, an ally of President Donald Trump, suggested disciplinary action. The FCC does not directly regulate broadcast content, but station licenses fall under its oversight. Within hours of Carr’s comments, Sinclair and Nexstar stopped airing the program, and ABC pulled it entirely.
Disney, ABC’s parent company, said the suspension was to avoid escalating tensions. Over 400 artists signed an ACLU-backed letter in support of Kimmel. Free speech groups and Democratic lawmakers have since praised ABC’s decision to reinstate the show, citing concerns over government influence on media.
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