Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Tuesday night after a weeklong suspension over his “ill-timed and insensitive” comments linking conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassin to a Trump fan. However, Nexstar and Sinclair, owners of 65 ABC affiliates (over 25% of the network’s reach), are boycotting the show, airing local news instead. Nexstar cited the need for “respectful dialogue” amid national tensions, while Sinclair echoed objections. The standoff follows FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s warning to ABC about “news distortion,”
suggesting investigations unless the show is addressed—seen by critics as a threat tied to Nexstar’s $6.2B Tegna merger approval. Kimmel’s show remains available on Disney streaming like Hulu nationwide. The boycott draws parallels to Stephen Colbert’s NBC cancellation, blamed on losses but linked to anti-Trump jokes, amid Trump and Carr’s criticisms of ABC and NBC’s conservative coverage. Backlash from Obama and others highlights free speech concerns.
