The Kimmel return is official: Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group will resume airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! on their ABC affiliates Friday, September 26, ending a blackout that reached nearly 25% of U.S. households, according to company statements and media reports. The reversal follows Disney’s reinstatement of the show after a brief suspension tied to comments by Kimmel and mounting scrutiny from regulators. [1]

The companies’ decision caps a week-plus standoff that began September 17 with widespread preemptions. Leaders at the station groups publicly framed their moves as community-minded, as analysts simultaneously pointed to financial and regulatory pressures that escalated throughout the controversy across numerous U.S. markets. [2]

Nexstar had earlier said it would evaluate the program before making a final call, while Sinclair instituted a more sweeping preemption across a large combined ABC footprint. Both groups engaged with ABC/Disney executives during the review period before ultimately restoring the program to schedules. [4]

Key Takeaways

– Shows blackout reached nearly 25% of U.S. households before Friday’s Kimmel return, magnifying the national impact of local affiliate decisions and regulatory scrutiny. [1] – Reveals combined Sinclair and Nexstar control about 70 ABC affiliates, with roughly 38 and 28 respectively, underscoring why distribution leverage mattered. [4][5] – Demonstrates preemptions began September 17, ending September 26, as companies cited community responsibility while pressure mounted from multiple stakeholders. [2] – Indicates FCC scrutiny from Brendan Carr and talk of license review risks intensified the calculus for affiliate owners during the reversal. [1][5] – Suggests corporate discussions with ABC and wider free-speech debate shaped the timing of the Friday restoration across the affected station lineups. [3][4]

Why the Kimmel return matters for 25% of U.S. homes

Resuming the show restores late-night distribution to a swath of the country representing nearly one-quarter of U.S. households. That footprint underscores how station group choices ripple through national audiences when programming is withheld, especially in late-night dayparts where consistency drives viewer habit and advertiser planning. [1]

The scale stems from ownership concentration: The Washington Post tallies roughly 38 ABC affiliates at Sinclair and about 28 at Nexstar, while CNBC places the combined count near 70. That sheer number of markets magnified both audience disruption during the blackout and the impact of Friday’s reversal. [5][4]

Because the affected stations include mid- and large-size Designated Market Areas, advertisers regain broad late-night reach at once. For viewers, the Kimmel return means the familiar schedule slot reappears on local ABC stations without the preemption notices seen since September 17. [2]

Timeline behind the Kimmel return and blackout

The chronology is compact but decisive. Preemptions began on September 17 following controversy surrounding Kimmel’s comments, immediately pulling the show from local ABC lineups in numerous markets. The suspension of the program by Disney and the subsequent reinstatement set up a rolling, closely watched affiliate-by-affiliate decision process. [2][1]

By September 26, Sinclair and Nexstar said they would air Jimmy Kimmel Live! again starting Friday, closing a nine-day span of uncertainty. Throughout, Nexstar signaled it was evaluating the program, while Sinclair conducted a broader preemption, both in dialogue with Disney executives amid intense public and industry attention. [1][4]

Regulatory pressure and FCC scrutiny reshape calculus

Regulatory attention accelerated the pivot. Reuters reported that scrutiny from FCC official Brendan Carr added pressure on affiliates during the controversy, raising the stakes as stations weighed program decisions against potential license-review perceptions. That backdrop elevated a program-level call into a broader compliance and oversight concern. [1]

The Washington Post detailed mounting concerns about FCC oversight after Carr suggested content could figure into license reviews, a possibility that station groups could not ignore given the size of their portfolios. Politico likewise emphasized the free-speech dimensions and earlier regulatory warnings that hovered over the blackout decision. [5][3]

For large owners like Sinclair and Nexstar, regulatory risk is material because renewal cycles and compliance narratives affect core business continuity. The Kimmel return reflects not just a programming choice but a recalibration in a context where perceived regulatory headwinds can compound operational and reputational costs. [1]

What Sinclair and Nexstar own—and why it mattered

Ownership math framed the disruption. The Washington Post counted roughly 38 ABC affiliates at Sinclair and approximately 28 at Nexstar, giving the two groups a decisive presence in ABC distribution nationally. CNBC added that the combined impact approached about 70 ABC affiliates, illustrating why their decisions effectively set late-night availability across many regions. [5][4]

Beyond scale, the blackout’s rationale and tenor were unique. The Post reported Sinclair sought apologies and donations to Turning Point USA as part of its response to the controversy, a posture that fueled public debate over remedies and accountability, as well as questions about appropriate content governance by affiliates. [5]

As public and industry pressure grew, Politico reported that Sinclair characterized its blackout as independent while acknowledging discussions with ABC executives and the broader free-speech debate. That dynamic, together with Nexstar’s evaluation posture, ultimately gave way to a uniform Friday restoration. [3][4]

What the Kimmel return means for late-night audiences and advertisers

For viewers, the Kimmel return means schedules stabilize in time for the weekend, avoiding further fragmentation of late-night viewing patterns. Consistency is critical for late-night talk shows, where recurring segments and habitual viewing underpin audience retention. Restoring the show on Friday aligns with a clean reset heading into the next programming week. [1]

For advertisers, a blanket reinstatement across nearly 25% of U.S. households restores reach and frequency in a daypart where campaigns rely on distributed national footprints via local affiliates. Buyers planning around live reads, integrations, or time-sensitive flights regain predictable placement and audience size across markets that had been effectively dark. [1]

Deal flow also gets simpler: rather than crafting workarounds market-by-market, planners can re-engage ABC late-night inventory across Sinclair and Nexstar stations. That operational clarity reduces makegood complexity after a week-plus of preemptions and helps normalize delivery metrics as the controversy recedes from the schedule. [4]

The free-speech debate that shadowed the blackout

Politico underscored how the incident became a proxy for the broader free-speech debate in broadcast media. Sinclair’s framing of its initial move as independent, combined with discussions with ABC and industry backlash, illustrated the crosscurrents facing affiliates when talent commentary sparks political controversy. [3]

The Washington Post noted parallel anxiety over FCC oversight, with Carr’s remarks about license reviews surfacing as a potential constraint on editorial discretion. The resulting dilemma—between advocating for community standards and preserving consistent national programming—played out across the groups’ extensive portfolios before Friday’s course correction. [5]

Inside the groups’ decision process before the Kimmel return

Nexstar’s public line was cautious: it would evaluate Jimmy Kimmel Live! prior to a formal reinstatement, a stance consistent with waiting for Disney’s decision and gauging market reactions. That evaluation period extended until Friday’s green light, after which Nexstar moved to restore the show. [4]

Sinclair chose broad preemption across its ABC stations, intensifying the blackout’s footprint and drawing swift public scrutiny. As the week unfolded, regulators’ attention and industry feedback mounted. By Friday, Sinclair aligned with Disney’s reinstatement and industry expectations, ending the blackout and removing uncertainty for its roughly 38 ABC affiliates. [3][5]

Market reach, licensing, and the limits of preemption

When station groups with dozens of affiliates preempt a national broadcast, the result approximates a nationwide blackout. Reuters’ estimate that nearly 25% of U.S. households were affected clarifies the scale and why pressure accelerated—viewers and advertisers lose continuity, and affiliates incur risk of regulatory and reputational blowback. [1]

The Washington Post’s reporting on license-review concerns added a structural constraint to prolonged preemption. Even as companies invoked community standards, the calculus had to include the possibility that extended preemption could surface in licensing narratives, nudging owners toward a quicker return once Disney reinstated the show. [5]

What to watch next after the Kimmel return

Friday’s reinstatement does not end the conversation about how affiliates navigate future controversies. CNBC reported Nexstar emphasized respectful dialogue in local markets, signaling a template for addressing similar tensions without wholesale preemptions. That suggests future flashpoints may be handled through targeted engagement rather than broad schedule removals. [4]

Politico and AP highlight that industry and public pressure can rapidly reshape corporate positions. If content controversies recur, affiliates and networks will likely weigh time-bound reviews over extended blackouts, aiming to limit household disruption while addressing community concerns and regulatory sensitivities. For now, the Kimmel return restores normalcy and audience reach. [3][2]

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] Associated Press – Nexstar and Sinclair bring Jimmy Kimmel’s show back to local TV stations: https://apnews.com/article/40489e9058a609029ebcb2ef894221e9 [3] 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

[4] CNBC – What to know about Nexstar and Sinclair, the ABC affiliate owners preempting Jimmy Kimmel: www.cnbc.com/2025/09/24/jimmy-kimmel-live-nexstar-show-status-abc-stations.html” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/24/jimmy-kimmel-live-nexstar-show-status-abc-stations.html [5] The Washington Post – What to know about Nexstar and Sinclair, the ABC affiliate owners who issued statements against Jimmy Kimmel: www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/09/18/abc-kimmel-affiliate-charlie-kirk/b8235126-94cb-11f0-8336-4757e168ec2a_story.html” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener noreferrer”>https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/09/18/abc-kimmel-affiliate-charlie-kirk/b8235126-94cb-11f0-8336-4757e168ec2a_story.html TARGET_KEYWORDS: [Kimmel return, 25% of U.S. households, Sinclair ABC affiliates, Nexstar ABC affiliates, about 70 ABC stations, September 26 2025, September 17 preemption, FCC scrutiny, Brendan Carr FCC, Disney reinstatement, local ABC blackout, late-night broadcast return, affiliate ownership share, license review risk, community responsibility statements, free speech debate, station group footprint, ABC late-night schedule, reversal timing Friday, distribution impact] FOCUS_KEYWORDS: [Kimmel return, Kimmel return Friday, Kimmel return 25% households, Kimmel return ABC affiliates, Kimmel return Sinclair Nexstar, Kimmel return FCC scrutiny, Kimmel return September 26] SEMANTIC_KEYWORDS: [household reach, distribution footprint, market penetration, viewership continuity, daypart scheduling, station group leverage, preemption policy, regulatory oversight, license renewal, advertiser reach, DMA coverage, content controversy, programming reinstatement, network–affiliate dynamics, audience disruption] LONG_TAIL_KEYWORDS: [how many households affected by Kimmel return, Sinclair and Nexstar ABC affiliate count, when does Kimmel return after blackout, FCC role in Kimmel affiliate decisions, why affiliates preempted Jimmy Kimmel, Disney reinstatement timeline for Kimmel, Friday schedule for Jimmy Kimmel Live return, markets impacted by ABC late-night blackout] FEATURED_SNIPPET: The Kimmel return begins Friday as Sinclair and Nexstar restore Jimmy Kimmel Live! across their ABC affiliates, reversing a blackout that reached nearly 25% of U.S. households. Reuters and other outlets link the reversal to Disney’s reinstatement and FCC scrutiny, with affiliate counts of roughly 38 at Sinclair and 28 at Nexstar—about 70 combined—magnifying the national impact of a local programming dispute. [1][4][5]

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