Posted in: ABC, TV | Tagged: Jimmy Kimmel, Sinclair

Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returning to Sinclair's ABC Stations Tonight

Sinclair released a statement on Friday announcing that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to its ABC affiliate stations beginning tonight.

Jimmy Kimmel's return to ABC's late-night lineup on Tuesday scored big with viewers to the tune of 6.26 million viewers. What's even more impressive is that Kimmel pulled those numbers despite not being on 23% of the nation's television screens. That's because Nexstar and Sinclair stuck with their decision not to air Kimmel's show on their collective 66 local affiliate stations, despite Disney making the decision to bring Kimmel back from a suspension. Now, Sinclair has announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to its ABC affiliates on Friday night.

In a statement, the major station owner said it is restoring the show after it made proposals for various measures, including the installation of a "network-wide independent ombudsman" at ABC. These proposals were suggested as "collaborative efforts" with Disney and ABC, and as yet the network has not agreed to implement them.

"Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience," Sinclair shared in a statement. "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." The company noted that it has proposed measures that could serve to boost "collaborative efforts" between the company, the network, and Disney.

"Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives. We have also witnessed troubling acts of violence, including the despicable incident of a shooting at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento. These events underscore why responsible broadcasting matters and why respectful dialogue between differing voices remains so important," the statement continued.

"In our ongoing and constructive discussions with ABC, Sinclair proposed measures to strengthen accountability, viewer feedback, and community dialogue, including a network-wide independent ombudsman. These proposals were suggested as collaborative efforts between the ABC affiliates and the ABC network. While ABC and Disney have not yet adopted these measures, and Sinclair respects their right to make those decisions under our network affiliate agreements, we believe such measures could strengthen trust and accountability."

Regarding accusations that FCC chair Brendan Carr actively influenced their decision, Sinclair claims its decision to pull the late-night talk show was "independent of any government interaction or influence." The company added that 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." Here's a look at the statement that was released, followed by a rundown of the Sinclair stations that were impacted:

Sinclair: ABC Stations Impacted – KVII, Amarillo, TX; KVIH, Amarillo, TX; WBMA, Birmingham, AL; WDBB, Birmingham, AL; WICD, Champaign – Springfield – Decatur, IL; WICS, Champaign – Springfield – Decatur, IL; WCHS, Charleston – Huntington, WV; WTVC, Chattanooga, TN; WSYX, Columbus, OH; WKEF, Dayton, OH; KAEF, Eureka, CA; WPDE, Florence – Myrtle Beach, SC; WXLV, Greensboro – High Point – Winston Salem, NC; WLOS, Greenville – Spartanburg, SC / Asheville, NC / Anderson, SC; WCTI, Greenville-N.Bern-Washngtn; KHGI, Lincoln – Hastings – Kearney, NE; KHGI-CD, Lincoln – Hastings – Kearney, NE; KWNB, Lincoln – Hastings – Kearney, NE; KWNB-LD, Lincoln – Hastings – Kearney, NE; KATV, Little Rock – Pine Bluff, AR; WGXA, Macon, GA; WEAR, Mobile, AL / Pensacola, FL; KTVO, Ottumwa, IA / Kirksville, MO; KATU, Portland, OR; KHQA, Quincy, IL / Hannibal, MO / Keokuk, IA; WSET, Roanoke – Lynchburg, VA; WHAM, Rochester, NY; KTXE-LD, San Angelo; KOMO, Seattle – Tacoma, WA; KDNL, St. Louis, MO; WGTQ, Traverse City – Cadillac, MI; WGTU, Traverse City – Cadillac, MI; WPBN, Traverse City – Cadillac, MI; WTOM, Traverse City – Cadillac, MI; KTUL, Tulsa, OK; WJLA, Washington, DC.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!