BREAKING: Sinclair ends preemption of Jimmy Kimmel Live!—will return to its affiliates tonight

Sinclair Broadcast Group announced Friday that it will end its preemption of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the late-night program will return to its ABC affiliates beginning the same night.

The decision follows days of back and forth after Sinclair pulled the show amid backlash to host Jimmy Kimmel’s recent remarks about Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The company said its move to reinstate the program came after receiving extensive feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders.

“We have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives,” Sinclair said in a statement. The broadcaster also pointed to recent violence, including a shooting at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento, as evidence of the need for “respectful dialogue between differing voices.”

Sinclair emphasized that its earlier decision to preempt the program was not influenced by government officials. “Our decision to preempt this program was independent of any government interaction or influence. Free speech provides broadcasters with the right to exercise judgment as to the content on their local stations. While we understand that not everyone will agree with our decisions about programming, it is simply inconsistent to champion free speech while demanding that broadcasters air specific content,” the company said.

"As a company rooted in local stations, Sinclair remains committed to serving our communities with programming that reflects their priorities, earns their trust, and promotes constructive dialogue. We look forward to continuing to work with ABC to deliver content that serves a broad spectrum of our communities," they continued. 

The broadcaster said it will continue working with ABC to strengthen accountability and community trust, while reaffirming its commitment to local programming that reflects audience priorities.