Broadcast media groups Nexstar and Sinclair have both announced they will no long pre-empt Jimmy Kimmel Live! just days after the show returned to the airwaves following a brief suspension by parent company ABC.
The national broadcaster had initially suspended the show after Nexstar and Sinclair, which together own or operate 70 ABC affiliate stations covering nearly a quarter of U.S. households, refused to air the program.
Nexstar on Friday released a statement explaining its decision to start broadcasting Kimmel again, saying, in part, that they remain “committed to protecting the First Amendment while producing and airing local and national news that is fact-based and unbiased and, above al, broadcasting content that is in the best interest of the communities we serve.”
Sinclair earlier on Friday announced it would start airing “Kimmel” again, also highlighting in a statement its commitment to community standards and national programming obligations, while denying any government pressure behind the initial decision to pull the late-night talk show.
The collective decision by Nexstar and Sinclair, and subsequently ABC, to stop airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! sparked a weeklong controversy and concerns about censorship, editorial independence, and political influence.
This is a breaking news story. Updates will follow.
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