Sinclair Broadcast Group announced Monday that it will continue to block ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from airing on its 30 affiliate stations, even after Disney declared the late-night program would return to production Tuesday.
The move extends the fallout from host Jimmy Kimmel’s controversial remarks about the political assassin of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
On Monday, Disney announced that it would lift its suspension, allowing Kimmel’s show to return to ABC.
However, Sinclair responded by dropping the hammer and blocking Kimmel’s comeback.
Sinclair said in a statement:
“Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming.
“Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.”
Vice Chairman Jason Smith blasted Kimmel’s comments last week as “inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country.”
Smith vowed that the network would not reinstate the program until “appropriate steps” were taken.
Sinclair called on Kimmel to issue a direct apology to Kirk’s family, to make a personal donation to the family, and to Turning Point USA.
“Regardless of ABC’s plans for the future of the program, Sinclair intends not to return Jimmy Kimmel Live! to our air until we are confident that appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards expected of a national broadcast platform,” the statement continued.
The controversy began after Kimmel appeared to downplay the political motives of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
Robinson is the radical leftist accused of publicly murdering Kirk during a speaking event earlier this month.
Kimmel told his viewers that the killer was a supporter of President Donald Trump, despite evidence to the contrary.
His comments drew immediate backlash from conservatives and even a veiled warning from the Federal Communications Commission.
By midweek, Disney pulled Kimmel’s show entirely after both Sinclair and Nexstar, another major owner of ABC affiliates, yanked the program from their lineups.
Despite calls for an apology, Kimmel reportedly told executives he would not retract his comments.
On Monday, however, Disney reversed its suspension and announced the late-night show would resume.
In a statement, the company said:
“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.
“It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.
“We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
The clash sets up a standoff between Disney, which is pushing to restore its programming lineup, and Sinclair.
Sinclair asserts that it will not budge until Kimmel makes amends to Kirk’s family and his organization.
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