Jimmy Kimmel Live will be returning on Tuesday, Sept. 23, but it seems viewers in more than three dozen markets owned by the Sinclair Broadcasting Group will not be able to enjoy Kimmel’s return to ABC.
While ABC has lifted Kimmel’s suspension, Sinclair Broadcasting Group has released a statement confirming it will not be returning the show to its networks upon its return on Sept. 23. This means that the largest owner of ABC affiliate stations will be keeping the show off air and preventing viewers in 38 markets across the US from watching new episodes, including Kimmel’s highly anticipated first show back.
In a statement released by Sinclair Broadcasting Group, the company noted that while they are in ongoing discussions with ABC about a potential return for Jimmy Kimmel Live, they will pre-empt the show across all ABC affiliate stations.
"Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be pre-empting 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,” read the statement posted on social media.
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. pic.twitter.com/beGC6VID2x
— Sinclair, Inc. (@WeAreSinclair) September 22, 2025
The move will keep fans in several major markets from watching Jimmy Kimmel Live when it returns on Sept. 23 including Birmingham, Charleston, Columbus, Portland, St. Louis, Tulsa, and Washington, DC. While fans in these areas will be able to still keep up with the show via social media and YouTube, they won’t be able to watch the series live as it airs on their local ABC affiliates.
Sinclair ABC networks which won't air Jimmy Kimmel Live
According to the Sinclair Broadcasting Group official website, this decision will impact viewers in the following 38 regions where ABC affiliates owned and operated by Sinclair.
Market | Station |
|---|---|
Abilene-Sweetwater | KTXS |
Amarillo, TX | KVII |
Amarillo, TX | KVIH |
Birmingham, AL | WBMA |
Birmingham, AL | WDBB |
Champaign - Springfield - Decatur, IL | WICD |
Champaign - Springfield - Decatur, IL | WICS |
Charleston - Huntington, WV | WCHS |
Charleston, SC | WCIV |
Chattanooga, TN | WTVC |
Columbus, OH | WSYX |
Dayton, OH | WKEF |
Eureka | KAEF |
Florence - Myrtle Beach, SC | WPDE |
Greensboro - High Point - Winston Salem, NC | WXLV |
Greenville - Spartanburg, SC / Asheville, NC / Anderson, SC | WLOS |
Greenville-N.Bern-Washngtn | WCTI |
Lincoln - Hastings - Kearney, NE | KHGI |
Lincoln - Hastings - Kearney, NE | KHGI-CD |
Lincoln - Hastings - Kearney, NE | KWNB |
Lincoln - Hastings - Kearney, NE | KWNB-LD |
Little Rock - Pine Bluff, AR | KATV |
Macon, GA | WGXA |
Mobile, AL / Pensacola, FL | WEAR |
Ottumwa, IA / Kirksville, MO | KTVO |
Portland, OR | KATU |
Quincy, IL / Hannibal, MO / Keokuk, IA | KHQA |
Roanoke - Lynchburg, VA | WSET |
Rochester, NY | WHAM |
San Angelo | KTXE-LD |
Seattle - Tacoma, WA | KOMO |
St. Louis, MO | KDNL |
Traverse City - Cadillac, MI | WGTQ |
Traverse City - Cadillac, MI | WGTU |
Traverse City - Cadillac, MI | WPBN |
Traverse City - Cadillac, MI | WTOM |
Tulsa, OK | KTUL |
Washington, DC | WJLA |
The move to keep Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air, while disappointing, isn’t too surprising.
After ABC announced the suspension of Kimmel and his late-night show, Sinclair Broadcasting Group put out a lengthy statement in which the company claimed the suspension was not enough. In the statement, Sinclair called on the FCC and ABC to take additional actions.
In their list of requests, the company stated it would keep the show off the air “until we are confident that appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards of a national broadcast platform.”
The company also insisted that Kimmel make a “direct apology to the Kirk family,” and then requested he makes a “meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA.”
It's unclear how long Jimmy Kimmel Live will remain pre-empted on Sinclair Broadcasting Group affiliates. Given the group's decision not to bring the show back upon its official return, there is a chance viewers in the areas could be without the show for an extended period of time.