Kimmel boycott ends as US TV companies put him back on air

Two major TV companies that stopped airing comedian Jimmy Kimmel after US government pressure said Friday they would start broadcasting his show again, ending a boycott of the late-night host.

Disney-owned ABC had suspended production of the show last week when Sinclair and Nexstar said they would no longer carry his program on the dozens of local stations they own, purportedly over remarks the comedian made in the wake of the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
After a public outcry over freedom of speech, ABC reversed course.

Kimmel's return on Tuesday proved a huge ratings hit, even as lingering blackouts by Sinclair and Nexstar -- which each own dozens of ABC-affiliated channels -- meant a quarter of the country still could not watch.

Sinclair, having previously demanded Kimmel make a personal donation to Kirk's activist group, said Friday it would carry the show again with immediate effect."Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience," the company said.

"We take seriously our responsibility as local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of our communities, while also honoring our obligations to air national network programming."Hours later, Nexstar followed suit."We have had discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company and appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns," it said in a statement.