"We have received thoughtful feedback": Sinclair confirms preemption of Jimmy Kimmel’s show in new statement, resumes airing on Friday

Three days after Disney reinstated Jimmy Kimmel’s show, Sinclair announced it would resume airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! starting Friday night. Kimmel's show was suspended by ABC on September 17 following a backlash over his remarks on Charlie Kirk's alleged killer.

On Monday, Disney announced the reinstatement of the show, but local broadcasters Sinclair and Nexstar said that they would continue preempting the show on their ABC affiliates. When the show returned on Tuesday, Jimmy Kimmel pointed out that it had not aired in 20 percent of the country, including Washington, D.C.

According to CNBC, Sinclair owns roughly 40 ABC affiliate stations. The local broadcaster has now decided to resume airing Jimmy Kimmel's show from September 26. The company released a statement in this regard.

"Sinclair today announced that it will end its preemption of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the show will return, this evening, on Sinclair’s ABC affiliates... Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives," the statement read.

Sinclair denies government involvement in decision to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The late-night show was pulled off the air after FCC chairman Brendan Carr asked the network to take action against Jimmy Kimmel over his remarks on the alleged killer of TPUSA's founder, and he allegedly threatened the network. The suspension caused a huge backlash against Disney and broadcasters, and alleged that the decision was taken under duress.

However, the FCC chairman previously denied these allegations. In its September 26 statement, Sinclair also dismissed the claims, saying its decision to preempt Kimmel’s show was "independent."

"Our decision to preempt this program was independent of any government interaction or influence. Free speech provides broadcasters with the right to exercise judgment as to the content on their local stations. While we understand that not everyone will agree with our decisions about programming, it is simply inconsistent to champion free speech while demanding that broadcasters air specific content," the statement stated.

In its statement, Sinclair highlighted a shooting incident at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento following the preemption of the show. Citing the incident, the broadcaster highlighted the importance of "respectful dialogue."

"We have also witnessed troubling acts of violence, including the despicable incident of a shooting at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento. These events underscore why responsible broadcasting matters and why respectful dialogue between differing voices remains so important," Sinclair's statement added.

The statement also noted that Sinclair has been in "constructive discussion" with ABC and Disney over strengthening "accountability, viewer feedback, and community dialogue." The company noted that although ABC and Disney have yet to accept the measures suggested by the station's owner.

Jimmy Kimmel addressed his remarks about Charlie Kirk's murder suspect on his comeback episode on Tuesday. The host also fired a verbal salvo at President Donald Trump during his episodes following the reinstatement.

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