Jimmy Kimmel TV Comeback Collapsing as Sinclair Broadcasting Group Says It Won’t Air Show on Its ABC Stations

The clash between corporate media giants and local broadcasters just took another sharp turn. While Disney and ABC have decided to bring Jimmy Kimmel back to late-night television after his brief suspension, Sinclair Broadcasting Group is holding its ground. The company announced Monday that its 33 ABC affiliates will not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! even as Disney presses forward with the show’s return.

Disney explained its decision in careful corporate language: “Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”

In other words, Disney hoped a short pause and some backroom discussions would be enough to smooth things over. But Sinclair is signaling that not everyone is willing to go along. A spokesperson for the broadcaster made it clear: “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘ across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.”

That’s not a small gesture. In an era when many media outlets cave under pressure from elite voices in Hollywood and boardrooms in New York or Los Angeles, Sinclair is refusing to simply rubber-stamp Disney’s decision. The company is instead choosing to prioritize its audience and values over the entertainment establishment’s attempts to dictate what people should watch.

The move also highlights a growing divide in American media. On one side are national corporations eager to protect their brand image by spinning controversies with vague statements and quick resets. On the other are local broadcasters who remain closer to the communities they serve and more responsive to the concerns of everyday Americans who are tired of being lectured by celebrities.

Jimmy Kimmel has built a career on jokes that often come at the expense of conservatives, Christians, and middle America. But this latest episode has exposed something bigger: Americans are no longer willing to shrug off hostility toward their beliefs as “just comedy.” Local stations are listening. National corporations may want to brush aside outrage, but families sitting in living rooms across the country see through the double standards.

Nexstar, another major broadcaster, has not yet made its decision. But the fact that Sinclair is openly rejecting Kimmel’s quick reinstatement sends a clear signal: there are still institutions willing to stand up to cultural elites, even when pressured by the most powerful entertainment company in the world.

At its core, this story isn’t just about a late-night host or a TV schedule. It’s about whether ordinary Americans still have a voice in the culture being beamed into their homes—or whether Hollywood will continue to treat them as obstacles to be managed. For now, Sinclair is standing its ground. And that matters.