Sinclair Broadcast Group Pulls Jimmy Kimmel Live From Its ABC Stations

Sinclair Broadcast Group announced on Monday it will no longer air Jimmy Kimmel Live on its 31 ABC-affiliated television stations, opting instead to replace the late-night program with expanded local and national news coverage beginning Tuesday night. The move marks a striking departure from traditional late-night programming for one of the country’s largest broadcasters and creates immediate questions about the show’s national reach, advertising performance, and long-standing relationship with ABC affiliates.

A Sudden Shake-Up in Late-Night Television

The decision comes just as Jimmy Kimmel Live was set to return with fresh episodes after a summer hiatus. The program, which has been on the air since 2003, has been a key part of ABC’s late-night lineup and one of the network’s signature entertainment offerings. For Sinclair, however, the company says the late-night slot will now be devoted to “enhanced local news reporting and expanded regional coverage,” though further details about the format and length of the replacement programming remain limited.

Sinclair executives have stated that discussions with ABC are ongoing and have left open the possibility that Jimmy Kimmel Live could eventually return, but for the foreseeable future, audiences in dozens of markets across the United States will no longer see the late-night talk show in its regular 11:35 p.m. time slot.

Historical Context: The Evolution of Late-Night TV Affiliations

Local affiliate decisions about network programming have a long history in American broadcasting. For decades, networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, and later Fox depended on local stations to carry their national shows. While network lineups have generally been consistent coast-to-coast, affiliates retain significant power when it comes to programming choices. In earlier eras, it was not uncommon for local stations to preempt or delay national broadcasts, especially in prime-time or late-night slots, to air sports, syndicated shows, or even local programming.

Jimmy Kimmel Live itself debuted in 2003 as ABC’s latest attempt to establish a foothold in the late-night market, traditionally dominated by NBC’s The Tonight Show. Over the years, the program became known for its celebrity interviews, comedic sketches, and musical acts, carving out a loyal audience and becoming a staple of ABC’s late-night brand. The replacement of Kimmel’s show with news programming across multiple large markets signals a significant shift not only for viewers but also for ABC’s consistency in national broadcasts.

Economic Implications of Sinclair’s Decision

The removal of Jimmy Kimmel Live from 31 ABC affiliates presents a complicated financial picture. Late-night shows generate revenue primarily from advertising, relying on a balance of national spots sold by the network and local ad slots reserved for individual stations. By refusing to air Kimmel’s program, Sinclair will forgo the associated local advertising tied to the show but gains the opportunity to sell ad space within its new late-night newscasts.

Local news traditionally commands higher ad rates than syndicated programs, largely because of its connection to regional audiences and its appeal to advertisers seeking geographic targeting. By replacing an entertainment talk show with news, Sinclair may be aiming for a more lucrative late-night model, especially in smaller to mid-sized markets where local news ratings often outperform late-night entertainment programs.

However, national advertisers who count on Jimmy Kimmel Live as part of ABC’s late-night portfolio could view the change as disruptive. These companies expect broad national carriage when placing ads, and the absence of the show in markets covered by Sinclair could dilute the program’s total audience and affect ABC’s negotiating power during advertising upfronts.

Impact on Viewers Across the United States

Audiences in Sinclair’s ABC markets will notice immediate changes. Instead of seeing comedian Jimmy Kimmel at 11:35 p.m., viewers will be presented with expanded newscasts. For viewers accustomed to late-night comedy, celebrity interviews, and musical performances, this replacement may feel like a major cultural loss.

The reaction may also vary regionally. In markets with strong demand for hyper-local news, extended newscasts may attract sizable viewership. In areas where the audience skews younger or more entertainment-focused, the absence of the late-night talk show could drive some viewers to seek alternatives through streaming platforms or competing networks.

Kimmel’s show, widely available on services such as Hulu, YouTube TV, and the ABC app, maintains a significant presence outside of traditional cable and broadcast television. That may soften the blow for fans who still want access to his comedy and interviews, but broadcast affiliates have historically remained critical in establishing television shows’ cultural footprint.

How Sinclair Compares to Other Regional Decisions

Sinclair’s decision echoes past instances where affiliates opted out of broadcasting certain network programs. CBS affiliates, for instance, have occasionally preempted late-night comedies or canceled Saturday morning cartoons in favor of local programming. Similarly, local NBC affiliates have sometimes sought more profitable syndicated programming in place of less competitive network offerings.

What makes Sinclair’s move unique is the coordinated, group-wide scale of the decision. Instead of one or two markets making changes independently, Sinclair’s refusal to air Jimmy Kimmel Live applies across all 31 of its ABC outlets. This broad, uniform policy sets it apart from more typical affiliate disagreements, which tend to involve individual stations responding to local market dynamics.

The Future of Late-Night in a Shifting Media Landscape

Late-night television has faced mounting challenges in recent years. Once a dominant genre that defined American television culture, it now competes with a fragmented media environment in which streaming services, social media platforms, and on-demand content cut deeply into traditional TV audiences. Comedy segments from hosts like Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Fallon often find larger audiences online than on television, with viral clips driving the conversation more than linear broadcasts.

Sinclair’s decision reflects this changing landscape. By prioritizing news—among the only categories that still reliably command live, real-time viewing—the broadcaster may be acknowledging that the traditional late-night format no longer delivers the kind of audience engagement that once made it indispensable.

Meanwhile, for ABC, Sinclair’s decision presents both an immediate challenge and an opportunity for reassessment. With a significant chunk of its affiliate base stepping away from the network’s late-night content, ABC may face pressure to rework its affiliate agreements or even reconsider long-term strategies for Kimmel’s show.

Audience and Industry Reaction

The announcement sparked swift reactions online. Fans of Kimmel expressed disappointment, noting the cultural and comedic value of the show, particularly its sketches and celebrity interviews that frequently makes the following morning. On social media platforms, some viewers criticized the removal, saying it limits access to a nationally recognized program.

Within the television industry, analysts pointed to the financial calculus behind the decision. For Sinclair, substituting news for comedy may prove profitable in the short term, but the broader implications for ABC’s late-night ecosystem remain uncertain. Competing networks, particularly NBC and CBS, may benefit if viewers turn their attention more consistently to shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon or The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Looking Ahead

Sinclair executives have made it clear that talks with ABC remain active, suggesting that Kimmel’s return to Sinclair stations could be possible under conditions yet to be determined. Until then, for millions of viewers across multiple markets, the beloved late-night host will remain absent from traditional broadcast screens.

The development underscores the evolving relationship between networks and their affiliates, the shifting economics of late-night television, and the challenge of balancing entertainment with local broadcast priorities. As the television industry grapples with ongoing changes in audience behavior, Sinclair’s decision may signal a broader trend of local stations reassessing the value of network entertainment programming compared to the enduring strength of news.

For Jimmy Kimmel Live, a show that has built twenty years of late-night tradition, this represents one of its most significant disruptions yet—a reminder of how the power dynamics of American television continue to adapt in a rapidly changing media landscape.