Nexstar Media Group made the announcement on Friday that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will come back to its airwaves. The show had been postponed earlier by Sinclair Broadcast Group’s interference. Beginning Tuesday evening, the long-running and hugely influential late-night talk show disappeared from the schedule. Sinclair condemned host Jimmy Kimmel’s impromptu monologue last week, saying his attack was “ill-timed and insensitive.”
Kimmel’s comments ignited an international firestorm, with many calling for his suspension. He went directly at those questions with a long, policy focused monologue. During his speech, he took aim at FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and former President Donald Trump. In the course of this segment, Kimmel further clarified earlier statements on undeserved exuberance over the killing of rightwing activist Charlie Kirk.
In that statement, Nexstar defended its initial decision to preempt the show.
“We made a decision last week to preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse.” – Nexstar
Sinclair’s draconian behavior was in lockstep with their stated devotion to “responsible broadcasting.” They cited recent violent escalation as justification for their decision. One example they pointed to was the shooting at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento. Sinclair promoted localism as a cure to the ills of nationalized broadcasting and the need for civil discourse.
“We have also witnessed troubling acts of violence, including the despicable incident of a shooting at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento,” – Sinclair
The producer underscored that their programming decisions are aimed at serving these local communities. Along the way, they work to fulfill their duty to carry national network programs. They added that while wishful talks with ABC had continued, it remained unclear whether Kimmel’s show would return.
Sinclair further underscored its redoubled effort to “protect and reflect community sensibilities,” virtue signaling its status as public airwaves stewards.
“We stand apart from cable television, monolithic streaming services, and national networks in our commitment — and obligation — to be stewards of the public airwaves and to protect and reflect the specific sensibilities of our communities.” – Nexstar
Nexstar went to great lengths to calm viewers’ fears by asserting their commitment to broadcasting content that is accurate and nonpartisan. They stressed their duty as public service broadcasters to keep programming both factually correct and commercially interesting to a wide electorate.
“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.” – Nexstar
Kimmel’s back — This time around, with the show streaming nationwide on Disney-owned sprout platforms, audiences won’t miss a single episode, even in the event of local preemptions.
“In the meantime, we note that ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets.” – Nexstar
Kimmel’s powerful monologue featured an eloquent defense of free speech and brought to attention the troubling climate for media discourse today. Even in a star-studded field, his comments stood out for their remarkable substance. Their critiques opened up a broader debate on public broadcasting and freedom of expression.
Calls for media accountability are growing louder by the day. Sinclair and Nexstar’s decisions take center stage to the broader battles over content regulation television programming and community standards.
