Sinclair Caves on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Boycott After Demanding He Donate to Turning Point USA

Jimmy Kimmel Live! is returning to dozens of hold-out ABC stations across the country effective immediately after the embattled comedian capitulated to exactly none of the Sinclair Broadcast Group’s outrageous demands.

Last week, Sinclair, which is one of the largest owners of local ABC affiliates in America, pre-empted Jimmy Kimmel Live! and condemned comments made by the host regarding President Donald Trump’s response to the murder of Charlie Kirk. Sinclair then made a list of demands that Kimmel would have to meet before he could return to their many local stations and commanded the host to “make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA,” Kirk’s political advocacy organization. 

Then, on Monday, following mass public outcry that caused Disney to lose $5 billion in stock valuation, Disney announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! was coming back to ABC the very next day, although Sinclair and other conglomerates didn’t carry Kimmel’s ratings-dominating return on their local stations. Now, with Jimmy Kimmel Live! more popular than ever, Sinclair is walking back all of its demands and returning the show to its local stations, despite Kimmel meeting none of the conditions set for his return.

When FCC Brendan Carr warned any ABC affiliate that refused to pre-empt Kimmel that, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he declined to mention that “the hard way” was the one with the best ratings.

In Sinclair’s official statement on Kimmel’s imminent return to Sinclair-owned ABC stations, the telecommunications giant conspicuously used much softer language than they did when the company first suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! and demanded that Kimmel literally pay tribute to both the Kirks and the conservative political machine. “Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience," a Sinclair representative pontificated to the press. “We take seriously our responsibility as local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of our communities, while also honoring our obligations to air national network programming.” 

“Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives,” Sinclair continued, understating the widespread fury that their original attempt to strong-arm Kimmel into capitulating to the federal government garnered. Even before Sinclair brought back Kimmel, the company had to walk back their plans to broadcast a Charlie Kirk tribute special in the Jimmy Kimmel Live! timeslot after outrage from viewers.

Sinclair even made the laughable claim that Carr had no influence over their initial and instantly regrettable decision to muzzle Kimmel, writing, “Our decision to preempt (Jimmy Kimmel Live!) was independent of any government interaction or influence.” Sinclair then seemed to strike back at its critics, adding, “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.”

And, yet, Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to Sinclair-owned ABC affiliates tonight with a special re-airing of the September 26th episode that drew in a jaw-dropping 6.26 million broadcast viewers, despite the fact that 23 percent of local ABC stations couldn’t carry the episode due to the boycotts of groups like Sinclair. Whether Sinclair’s swift reversal on their Kimmel stance is due to the outrage of their consumers or greed over the biggest draw in broadcast TV outside of Monday Night Football, it’s clear that Carr’s threats are less powerful than the will and the viewing habits of Americans who would prefer that their speech stay free.

Now, Nexstar Media Group remains the largest holdout remaining in the short-lived Jimmy Kimmel Live! boycott, but, with the conglomerate awaiting FCC approval on a proposed multi-billion-dollar acquisition of rival Tegna that would make it the largest owner of local television stations in America, it might take more than unprecedented ratings and massive public outrage to break Carr’s influence over them.

Time will tell if Carr’s last remaining crony can withstand the immense trials and tribulations of “the easy way.”