Jimmy Kimmel Returns as Sinclair Ends Blackout After Backlash

After days of silence and mounting criticism, Sinclair ended its blackout and put Jimmy Kimmel Live! back on air for millions of ABC households.

When loyal viewers tuned into Jimmy Kimmel Live! This week, many were met with an empty slot instead of the late-night host’s trademark monologues and celebrity appearances. For millions of households that are served by Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ABC affiliates, Kimmel simply vanished from the air.

This disappearance wasn’t caused by a production hiccup or contract dispute. But rather, Sinclair quietly blacked out the show after Kimmel made comments about Donald Trump and the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk – remarks critics labeled as insensitive, which sparked swift backlash. In a rare move, one of the nation’s largest broadcast networks indefinitely pulled the plug on the program that has aired for more than two decades now, triggering an outcry far beyond Kimmel’s fan base.

The blackout of the show was trending across all social media platforms, with hashtags demanding Kimmel’s return trended for days. Maybe people accused Sinclair of crossing a dangerous line, arguing that private cooperation was deciding what millions of people could and could not watch. The FCC even signaled interest in reviewing that decision, mentioning concerns about free expression. 

By Friday, after pulling the show, the pressure from the public was impossible to ignore. Sinclair announced it would reinstate Jimmy Kimmel Live! starting with Friday evening’s broadcast, ending the blackout and restoring the late-night staple to its regular slot on air.

In a brief statement, the company framed the move as a resolution of “viewer concerns,” but offered little to no explanation for its initial decision.

For Kimmel, the return marks a continuation of a 22-year run defined by political satire and cultural commentary. For viewers, it is proof that public pushback still has power and matters. But the blackout has also cracked open an unsettling debate – if one late-night host can be silenced, even briefly, what does that mean for the future of television in an age of polarizing and corporate influence?