Overview

• Disney said the show returns Tuesday after “intense conversations” with Jimmy Kimmel, explaining the initial pause followed comments it deemed inappropriate during a tense national moment.
• Sinclair will replace the program with local news on its ABC stations and is in talks with ABC about a possible return, while Nexstar and Sinclair previously signaled they would not carry the show.
• The carriage split leaves national distribution uncertain for ABC’s late-night lineup, with reports noting dozens of affiliated stations tied to Sinclair and Nexstar.
• FCC chair Brendan Carr praised affiliate pushback and denied accusations that he pressured companies, a sensitive issue as Nexstar pursues deals requiring FCC approval.
• Public protests, celebrity support and boycott calls against Disney were reported as factors in the company’s reversal, after Kimmel’s monologue referenced the killing of Charlie Kirk.