Disney Reinstates Jimmy Kimmel; Sinclair Preempts Show

Disney reinstated Jimmy Kimmel to its 11:35 p.m. slot and Hulu after a multi-day suspension over comments about the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, saying the pause was meant to avoid “further inflaming a tense situation” while negotiating his return. Sinclair Broadcast Group — which owns 39 ABC affiliates across 18 states and Washington, D.C. — announced it will preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its stations and replace it with news programming while it evaluates the show’s potential return. Sinclair has demanded a formal apology and a substantial donation to Kirk’s family and Turning Point USA as conditions for airing the program and said talks with ABC are ongoing; other large affiliates like Nexstar represent a significant share of ABC’s household reach. FCC Chair Brendan Carr defended affiliates’ decisions and argued local stations have public-interest obligations after earlier comments that were seen as pressuring the network. The dispute has prompted industry pushback in defense of Kimmel and reports of financial fallout for Disney, and has fueled a broader debate over free speech, local versus network control, and media responsibility.