Jimmy Kimmel is back on ABC affiliates owned or operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group, as both station groups abruptly ended their preemptions on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, after about three days of blackout and mounting commercial and regulatory pressure that did not yield the changes they initially sought from ABC and Disney. The reversal came despite Sinclair’s earlier demands, which went unmet, and followed a week of escalating scrutiny over local broadcasters’ public-interest obligations. [1]

Key Takeaways

– Shows a swift reversal: two station groups ended a roughly 72-hour blackout on Sept. 26, 2025, restoring Jimmy Kimmel across affected ABC affiliates. [1][3] – Reveals market scale mattered: Nexstar’s more than 200 stations in 116 markets underscored potential ad and audience losses during the preemption window. [5] – Demonstrates external pressure’s impact: advertisers, public backlash, and FCC attention were central drivers cited in the decision to resume broadcasts. [1][3][4] – Indicates station rhetoric shifted: Sinclair cited autonomy and community responsibility while rejoining the ABC lineup without securing prior demands from Disney. [2][1] – Suggests risk awareness grew: analysts flagged potential regulatory questions for licensees after the initial refusal to air Kimmel’s reinstated program. [4]

Timeline: Jimmy Kimmel blackout and reversal

The controversy accelerated after comments by Jimmy Kimmel about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, prompting Disney to briefly suspend the late-night program before reversing course earlier in the week. When ABC prepared to put the show back on the air, Sinclair and Nexstar declined to carry it on their ABC affiliates, triggering localized blackouts in many cities. [3]

On Sept. 23, 2025, Nexstar publicly affirmed that its ABC affiliates and partner stations would continue preempting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and would emphasize local news and community-focused programming instead. The company stressed the show remained available via Disney’s streaming platforms and pledged to monitor developments. Nexstar also highlighted its national scale—more than 200 stations in 116 U.S. markets—as context for its decision. [5]

Between Sept. 23 and Sept. 26, the refusal by Nexstar and Sinclair to air the program, even after Disney’s reinstatement, drew significant attention from policy observers. Analysts noted that public comments by the FCC’s Brendan Carr spotlighted broadcasters’ public-interest obligations, introducing potential regulatory risk if blackouts persisted on affiliates entrusted with serving local communities. [4]

By Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, the station groups reversed course. Reuters reported that Sinclair and Nexstar would end their boycott as of that day, restoring “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to their ABC affiliates. The reversal followed a combination of advertiser pressure, public backlash, and heightened regulatory attention—while Sinclair’s earlier demands went unmet. [1]

Politico noted that Sinclair framed the decision as an assertion of station autonomy and community responsibility, even as it resumed carriage of the late-night show it had just preempted. That framing sought to reconcile the company’s prior stance with its abrupt return to network programming. [2]

The Associated Press likewise confirmed that both companies brought “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” back to local stations on Sept. 26, ending a blackout that had affected many cities. The AP linked the back-and-forth to Disney’s earlier suspension and reinstatement, and to commercial and regulatory pressures faced by the station owners. [3]

What drove the U-turn on Jimmy Kimmel

Multiple levers converged within roughly 72 hours. First, the economic one: late-night inventory remains strategically important to local stations, and a blackout jeopardizes booked spots and reach metrics that advertisers track closely in quarterly schedules. With Nexstar’s footprint exceeding 200 stations across 116 markets, even a temporary disruption implied meaningful local revenue and audience exposure at risk. [5]

Second, reputational and audience pressure mounted quickly. Viewers objected to losing a network show they were accustomed to finding over-the-air, especially after Disney reinstated it. The companies’ decisions, publicized over several days, amplified backlash at the local level where affiliates are expected to serve community interests with consistency. [3][4]

Third, regulatory attention intensified. Public comments from the FCC’s Brendan Carr amplified questions about whether prolonged preemptions, after a network’s reinstatement decision, might conflict with licensees’ public-interest responsibilities. Even without formal action, that attention can have a chilling effect, especially during periods when stations anticipate license reviews or other regulatory processes. [4]

Reuters reported the final pivot—ending the boycott on Sept. 26—occurred after advertiser, public, and regulatory pressures failed to secure concessions. Sinclair’s unmet demands underscore that the negotiating leverage rested more with the network and marketplace forces than with the protesting affiliates. [1]

Finally, rhetorical positioning shifted to emphasize community responsibility and editorial autonomy. Sinclair’s post-reversal language signaled an attempt to maintain its principles narrative even as it returned the show without achieving its stated objectives, a path Politico characterized as balancing a local-control message with national scrutiny. [2]

How many viewers and markets were affected

The precise count of affected households was not disclosed, but signals pointed to broad exposure. The AP described blackouts in many cities, a phrase that across two of the nation’s largest station operators implies widespread local disruption in late-night viewing on ABC affiliates. That reach, even if limited to ABC stations within their portfolios, would have covered a meaningful share of the national footprint. [3]

Nexstar’s own metrics show the scale at stake: it operates more than 200 stations in 116 markets nationwide. Importantly, not all of these are ABC affiliates, and the company’s release did not quantify the exact number of ABC-branded stations; however, the overall footprint illustrates why preemptions drew national attention. [5]

The blackout’s duration—about 72 hours from Nexstar’s Sept. 23 statement to the Sept. 26 reversal—limited cumulative audience loss, but even short outages can distort overnight ratings and disrupt advertiser delivery guarantees in late-night dayparts. That risk grows as blackouts extend and as scattered local preemptions make national audience measurement more complex. [5][1]

Compounding the disruption, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” had already undergone a brief network-level stop and start as Disney suspended and then reinstated the show earlier in the week. The staggered sequence—platform suspension, reinstatement, then affiliate refusals—multiplied the number of nights viewers in many cities could not find the program over-the-air. [3]

Nexstar emphasized that the show remained available via Disney streaming during its preemption period. That message aimed to mitigate consumer frustration, but it did not solve the core issue for advertisers who purchased linear ABC placements and for viewers dependent on free-to-air broadcast. [5]

Regulatory and legal stakes for broadcasters

Even without formal proceedings, the crossfire underscored how fast regulatory scrutiny can reshape corporate calculus. The CNBC reporting highlighted that Carr’s comments raised questions around public-interest obligations that attach to broadcast licenses—a reminder that affiliates operate under a different set of responsibilities than purely digital platforms or cable channels. [4]

License obligations revolve around serving local communities, including through consistent carriage of network programming that viewers expect. Prolonged, discretionary preemptions—particularly when a network has reinstated a program—risk appearing misaligned with those duties. For large groups with renewals and transactions on the horizon, even the perception of misalignment can be costly. [4]

Reuters tied the eventual decision directly to advertiser, public, and regulatory pressures, signaling that policy attention can complement market forces to accelerate outcomes. In this case, it helped compress a potentially prolonged standoff into a three-day detour that ended on a Friday night. [1]

What it means for Jimmy Kimmel, ABC and advertisers

For Jimmy Kimmel and ABC, the reinstatement across Sinclair and Nexstar restores national late-night continuity that had briefly fractured into market-by-market gaps. The Friday resumption should stabilize next-week audience baselines, improving comparability for ratings analysts evaluating the impact of the week’s disruptions. [1][3]

For advertisers, the end of the blackout curbs delivery risk heading into the final days of the month. While some spots likely under-delivered during the affected nights, the swift resolution reduces the need for widespread makegoods and limits knock-on effects in adjacent late-night inventory. Local ad teams can now focus on normal pacing for the quarter. [1][5]

Sinclair’s messaging—invoking autonomy and community responsibility—signals how groups may frame future disagreements with network content decisions. But because the company resumed the show without securing concessions, the episode may caution affiliates against protracted boycotts that carry unclear legal and commercial upside. [2][1]

Nexstar’s initial stance and subsequent reversal reflect the tension between local programming priorities and national network continuity. The company’s emphasis on local news and community programming during the blackout aligns with its strategy, but the quick pivot illustrates how national advertiser needs and regulatory atmospherics can outweigh editorial objections in network primetime-adjacent slots. [5][4]

The AP’s reporting that both owners reversed on Sept. 26, after Disney’s earlier reinstatement, ties the sequence together: platform-level suspension, reinstatement, affiliate resistance, then restoration. The net result is that Kimmel returns to the familiar late-night slot, with the week’s turbulence likely to fade if subsequent broadcasts proceed without further incident. [3]

Outlook: What to watch next week

Negotiations between Sinclair and ABC remain “ongoing,” according to Politico’s account of the company’s posture. Watch for any updated carriage guidelines or content-standards language that could reduce the chances of future flashpoints triggering affiliate preemptions of network shows. [2]

Regulatory follow-through will also be in focus. Even absent formal action, expect stakeholders to cite this episode in debates about the scope of affiliate discretion versus the public interest in reliable access to network programming. The prominence of the FCC’s involvement in public commentary may prompt more cautious affiliate decision-making in similar scenarios. [4]

Finally, keep an eye on advertiser behavior. Brands that were scheduled in the affected nights may seek assurances that future reinstatements will not be undercut locally. Given that the blackout lasted about 72 hours and ended on a Friday, the resolution timing minimized week-to-week disruption—a factor buyers will weigh as they plan late Q4 placements. [1][5]

Sources:

[1] Reuters – Nexstar, Sinclair to end boycott of Kimmel show on its ABC stations Friday: www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/sinclair-end-boycott-kimmel-show-its-abc-stations-friday-2025-09-26/” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/sinclair-end-boycott-kimmel-show-its-abc-stations-friday-2025-09-26/

[2] Politico – Sinclair ends Kimmel blackout for its ABC affiliates: www.politico.com/news/2025/09/26/jimmy-kimmel-sinclair-blackout-00582739″ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/26/jimmy-kimmel-sinclair-blackout-00582739 [3] The Associated Press – Nexstar and Sinclair bring Jimmy Kimmel’s show back to local TV stations: https://apnews.com/article/40489e9058a609029ebcb2ef894221e9

[4] CNBC – Jimmy Kimmel: Nexstar, Sinclair won’t air return on ABC affiliates: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/23/kimmel-abc-nexstar-sinclair-fcc.html [5] Nexstar / BusinessWire (Nasdaq) – Nexstar ABC Affiliates To Continue Preempting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”: www.nasdaq.com/press-release/nexstar-abc-affiliates-continue-preempting-jimmy-kimmel-live-2025-09-23″ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/nexstar-abc-affiliates-continue-preempting-jimmy-kimmel-live-2025-09-23

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