Kimmel back on air
Comedian Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show will once again be broadcast nationwide after two of the largest US television station groups, Sinclair and Nexstar, reversed their blackout decisions on Friday.
The companies, which together own 70 ABC affiliates, had pulled 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' last week following comments Kimmel made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Their move came after Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr appeared to threaten the licenses of stations carrying the show. President Donald Trump, long critical of Kimmel's mockery, had also publicly demanded the host be taken off air.
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After Disney-owned ABC briefly suspended the program, Kimmel returned Tuesday to record ratings despite blackouts covering nearly a quarter of the country. On air, he blasted the "anti-American" effort to silence him.
Sinclair said its decision to resume broadcasting was aimed at serving "the widest possible audience," while Nexstar said discussions with Disney helped address its concerns. Both companies insisted their earlier moves were independent of government influence.
Disney did not make concessions in restoring carriage, according to industry sources. The controversy had sparked widespread protests over free speech and placed ABC under pressure to stand firm against political interference.
