Well, well. The censors of free speech FAFO:
Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group brought Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show back to their local TV stations on Friday night, ending a dayslong TV blackout for dozens of cities across the U.S.
The companies suspended the program on Sept. 17 over remarks the comedian made in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing. Disney-owned ABC suspended Kimmel the same day, following threats of potential repercussions from the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission.
The companies’ dual moves Friday mean “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will return to local TV on Nexstar’s 28 ABC affiliates, from Topeka, Kansas, to New Orleans, along with Sinclair’s 38 local markets, from Seattle to Washington D.C.
Kimmel’s suspension lasted less than a week, while the affiliate blackout stood for just over a week.
When the boycott began, Sinclair, which is known for its conservative political content, called on Kimmel to apologize to Kirk’s family and asked him to “make a meaningful personal donation” to Turning Point USA, the nonprofit that Kirk founded.
When Kirk was killed, Kimmel called it a “senseless murder” and shared a message of support for his family and other victims of gun violence on social media, which he reiterated during his Tuesday return.
Kimmel’s original comments didn’t otherwise focus on Kirk. He instead lambasted President Donald Trump and his administration’s response to the killing. On his first show back, the comedian did not apologize, but did say “it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man” and acknowledged that to some, his comments “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”
He also used a blend of humor and pointed messages to emphasize the importance of free speech.
Maryland-based Sinclair and Texas-based Nexstar continued to preempt the show for three days even after ABC and Disney returned it to national airwaves.
New episodes of the show air Monday through Thursday. Friday night’s rerun will be of Tuesday’s show — so the previously blacked-out stations will air Kimmel’s emotional return to the show. Viewers will have to wait until Monday to get the host’s take on the new developments.
In its statement Friday, Sinclair pointed to its “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 company added that it had received “thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders,” and noticed “troubling acts of violence,” referencing the shooting into the lobby of a Sacramento station. [snip]
Both companies said their decisions were not affected by influence from government or anyone else. [snip]
As a result of the boycott, viewers in cities representing roughly a quarter of ABC’s local TV affiliates had been left without the late-night program on local TV. The blackouts inflamed a nationwide uproar around First Amendment protections — particularly as the Trump administration and other conservatives police speech after Kirk’s killing. They also cast a spotlight on political influence in the media landscape, with critics lambasting companies that they accuse of censoring content. [snip]
While local TV affiliates broadcast their own programming, such as local news, they also contract with larger national broadcasters — and pay them to air their national content, splitting advertising revenue and fees from cable companies.
Matthew Dolgin, senior equity analyst at research firm Morningstar, said he wasn’t surprised by Kimmel’s return to the local stations.
“The relationship with Disney is far too important for these firms to risk,” Dolgin said. And setting aside legal rights from either side, he added, “Disney would’ve been free to take its affiliate agreements elsewhere in 2026 if these relationships were too difficult. That scenario would be devastating to Nexstar and Sinclair.” (our emphasis)
So, to recap: Disney/ ABC (to borrow a term from the Malignant Fascist) held all the cards after all. This is just another demonstration that it's necessary for companies to stand up to these fascist MAGAt bullies, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it turns out having this bunch policing speech isn't very popular with the American people. We'd love to get a gauge on the feedback Sinclair got from "viewers, advertisers and community leaders," and how much lost revenue we're talking about. That's what matters to them in the end. Just ask Disney.
The ketchup will be flying at the White House today.
(Image: winner and losers / ABC/ Nexstar/ Getty)
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