吉米·金墨尔再次在深夜节目之战中获得重要胜利

After being removed from 20% of local ABC affiliates, Jimmy Kimmel Live is returning to more stations as part of his grand return to late-night. Disney pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show after pressure from the federal government and decisions by TV broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair to preempt the show for the foreseeable future.

After Kimmel’s suspension following comments he made about Charlie Kirk’s killer, which led to massive backlash from conservatives, the FCC and Donald Trump, discussions played out behind closed doors between the host and Disney executives to figure out a way forward.

On Monday, September 22, Disney finally announced that Kimmel would return to the air on Tuesday, September 23, though Nexstar and Sinclair were still refusing to air the show.

According to CNBC, Sinclair will resume airing Jimmy Kimmel Live starting on Friday, September 26, although the talk show remains unavailable on Nexstar-owned stations.

The TV broadcaster released a statement revealing the major development. It said that Sinclair has received a lot of “thoughtful feedback” from not only viewers but also advertisers and community leaders from all sides of the political spectrum. The company reiterated that “responsible broadcasting matters” and that it’s important to include “respectful” opinions between “differing voices.”

Sinclair’s statement also mentioned that “troubling acts of violence” are still happening after Kirk’s death, including at a local ABC station in Sacramento, California.

“Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives. 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.”

What Jimmy Kimmel Live Returning To Sinclair Stations Means

Jimmy Kimmel Live! returning to Sinclair’s local ABC stations is a major victory for the talk show host, just days after he made his triumphant entrance back on the air following his suspension. Sinclair owns 38 local ABC stations across the United States, while Nexstar owns 28.

This means even more households that still watch TV via traditional cable subscriptions will have access to Jimmy Kimmel Live! again and won’t have to rely on YouTube or a Hulu subscription to watch the show.

Nexstar is the sole holdout in this battle against Jimmy Kimmel Live. Considering Sinclair has now agreed to return Kimmel to their stations, it seems more likely that Nexstar will follow suit at some point in the coming days.

ABC typically airs encore episodes on Friday nights. The September 26 episode amid Kimmel’s return to Sinclair stations will be a repeat from September 23, with guests Glen Powell and Sarah McLachlan. It’s probably not a coincidence that this encore episode was Kimmel’s first show back after his suspension.

The first new episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live on Sinclair stations will air on Monday, September 29. Kimmel will be filming from Brooklyn all week long. While in New York, Stephen Colbert, whose show is ending in 2026, will be a guest on Tuesday’s show. That same night, Kimmel will appear on Colbert’s Late Show.

Our Take On Jimmy Kimmel’s Major Victory

The ratings for Kimmel’s return to ABC were massive, with 6.2 million viewers on Tuesday night. His extensive monologue, in which he reacted to his suspension and advocated for free speech, was posted on YouTube and became his highest-viewed monologue on the video platform.

Clearly, Kimmel didn’t need Nexstar or Sinclair to draw in a giant audience. However, for the long-term success of the show, the two biggest TV broadcasters need to return his show to the air. Sinclair’s decision is not only a major win for Kimmel himself but also a victory for millions of viewers.

Hopefully, Nexstar makes the same decision sooner rather than later so that Kimmel’s show can return to business as usual without interference from outside entities.

Jimmy Kimmel Live airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. EDT on ABC.