Jimmy Kimmel Is Back This Week, But Not In Rochester!

Jimmy Kimmel is back. After a week of suspension following his controversial comments about Charlie Kirk, Disney and ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return this week. But in nearly 40 markets across the U.S., viewers won’t see it, because Sinclair Broadcast Group is refusing to air the show. Sinclair, one of the nation’s largest broadcasters, owns dozens of ABC affiliates. The company announced it will not carry Jimmy Kimmel Live! until Kimmel issues a formal apology to Charlie Kirk’s family and makes a “meaningful personal donation” both to the family and to Kirk’s political organization, Turning Point USA.

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According to Sinclair executives, Kimmel’s suspension wasn’t enough. They’ve set their own terms for bringing him back:

1. Public Apology: Sinclair wants Kimmel to issue a direct, formal statement to Kirk’s family, addressing his comments during the monologue.
2. Donation to Family & Turning Point USA: They want him to write a check to both Kirk’s family and to the conservative group Kirk founded.
3. “Accountability” Agreement: Sinclair has hinted that ABC must also show a broader commitment to professionalism in its programming going forward.

Until those conditions are met, Sinclair says their ABC affiliates will replace Kimmel’s timeslot with local news or other programming. If you live in a city where your ABC affiliate is owned by Sinclair, you won’t see Jimmy Kimmel when he returns. Viewers in those markets will either see extra local news coverage or alternate late-night shows instead. But this blackout only affects Sinclair markets. If your ABC station is owned by another company like Nexstar, Hearst, or Gray, the show will air normally.

Source: Baller Alert