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Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns but won’t air in several cities: See full list
Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return on Tuesday following a suspension over controversial comments. However, Sinclair has opted not to air it on its affiliates.
ABC announced the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday following a brief suspension that stirred controversy. Last Wednesday, the show was taken off the air after comments made by the host regarding the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk were deemed inappropriate by the FCC and prompted pressure from stations nationwide.
In a statement on Monday, Disney said, “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,” as reported by Men's Journal.
It further stated, "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.”
Also Read: Sinclair preempts Jimmy Kimmel Live! after ABC's decision to reinstate. Will Nexstar follow?
Sinclair preempts Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Disney reportedly faced a loss of more than $3 billion after following the show suspension as his loyal followers called for a boycott of the company's streaming services, theme parks, cruise lines, and more, as reported by Men's Journal.
While ABC agreed with Jimmy Kimmel to mark the return of his show on Tuesday, some stations refused to change their stance on the matter. Sinclair, which owns over 20 ABC affiliates across the country, announced that it will not air Kimmel's show on its stations.
The company said, "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.”
List of areas where Jimmy Kimmel's show will not return
Sinclair, a major broadcast company, owns 294 television stations across 89 markets throughout the US. The following is the list of affected stations that will not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, as reported by Men's Journal.
Abilene-Sweetwater, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Birmingham, Alabama
Champaign – Springfield – Decatur, Illinois
Charleston – Huntington, West Virginia
Charleston, South Carolina
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Columbus, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Eureka, California
Florence – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Greensboro – High Point – Winston Salem, North Carolina
Greenville – Spartanburg, South Carolina / Asheville, North Carolina / Anderson, South Carolina
Greenville-N.Bern-Washngton, North Carolina
Lincoln – Hastings – Kearney, Nebraska
Little Rock – Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Macon, Georgia
Mobile, Alabama / Pensacola, Florida
Ottumwa, Iowa / Kirksville, Missouri
Portland, Oregon
Quincy, Illinois / Hannibal, Missouri / Keokuk, Iowa
Roanoke – Lynchburg, Virgina
Rochester, New York
San Angelo, Texas
Seattle – Tacoma, Washington
St. Louis, Missouri
Traverse City – Cadillac, Michigan
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Washington, DC
