Jimmy Kimmel is back… again!
Today, local TV giants Nexstar and Sinclair announced that they will cease preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live on their ABC affiliate stations. The show will return to the stations on Friday night.
In a statement, Sinclair, which announced it would preempt Kimmel’s show last week, said its objective throughout the process has been to ensure that programming is “accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience.” The company noted it had “thoughtful feedback” from viewers and advertisers and had been engaging in “constructive” discussions with Disney.
Sinclair proposed several provisions to ABC and Disney regarding Jimmy Kimmel Live, including viewer feedback, community dialogue, and a network-wide independent ombudsman. The company said ABC and Disney have yet to adopt the proposals, but it respects that decision.
Meanwhile, Nexstar said it had discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company and appreciated their “constructive approach” to addressing concerns.
In addition, both companies noted that their decision to preempt the show didn’t have government interaction or influence.
How we got here
Sinclair and Nexstar announced last week that their stations would preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live. These announcements came following FCC backlash to comments Kimmel previously made about Charlie Kirk’s killer. Nexstar and Sinclair operate more than 70 local ABC affiliates between them.
Subsequently, Kimmel’s show was briefly suspended by ABC and Disney. In his return to the air on Tuesday, Kimmel addressed his comments about Kirk and criticized the FCC for supposedly pressuring local affiliates.
Nexstar is currently seeking FCC approval for a $6.2 billion deal for rival Tegna.
Despite not airing in 23% of the country due to Nexstar and Sinclair preempting his return on Tuesday, Kimmel scored one of his highest-rated episodes ever, attracting more than 6.2 million viewers.
This story was updated after Nexstar joined Sinclair in bringing back Jimmy Kimmel Live.
