On September 17, two of ABC’s largest affiliate broadcasters — NexStar Media and Sinclair Broadcasting — announced that, effective immediately, they would be pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live! off all of its stations. The decision came after Kimmel made some controversial comments about Donald Trump and the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.Not long after Sinclair and NexStar made their decision, Disney and ABC announced they would also be pulling Kimmel off the air. However, almost immediately, Kimmel’s legal team and Disney were in talks on how they could bring him back on the air. Five days after he was suspended, Disney announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be back, and the show returned on September 23.Credit: Video Screenshot, ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’, ABCRelated: Jimmy Kimmel Given List of Demands In Order to Get Back On AirWhile Kimmel fans around the country rejoiced, some of them soon learned that, even though the beloved host was getting his show back, they wouldn’t be able to watch it. Both NextStar and Sinclair said that they would continue not to air Jimmy Kimmel Live!, despite the backlash that came after the show was suspended.Between the two of them, NexStar and Sinclair own nearly 70 of Disney’s more than 230 affiliate stations. That equated to more than 20% of the country not being able to watch the late-night show.The two companies seemed determined not to air the show. However, just three days after Mr. Kimmel’s return, Sinclair announced that it had come to an agreement with Disney to air the show. NexStar announced a similar agreement several hours later.Credit: Inside the MagicRelated: Jimmy Kimmel’s Comeback Sparked by Michael Eisner’s Criticism, Says ReportWhat made Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension so controversial was the fact that many people believed it violated the comedian’s First Amendment right to free speech.However, in an internal memo sent to employees, NexStar CEO Perry Sook defended the decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the airwaves, saying, “No one has an unlimited right to say whatever they want on a talk show.”Every network and station has made tough calls when on-air conduct crosses a line. That isn’t a violation of the First Amendment — it’s an exercise of editorial responsibility and stewardship of the public airwaves. As we said in our press release, Nexstar remains committed to protecting the First Amendment, delivering fact-based and unbiased news, and broadcasting content that best serves our communities. These principles guided us throughout this process and will continue to do so.Credit: ABCRelated: After Jimmy Kimmel’s Return, Roseanne Barr Lashes Out at Disney Over “Double Standard”When Sinclair Broadcasting announced that it would be suspending Jimmy Kimmel Live!, it also said that Mr. Kimmel would need to meet a certain set of demands before they would air his program. Those demands included an apology to Charlie Kirk’s family and donating money to both Kirk’s family and his organization, Turning Point U.S.A.However, no conditions were agreed to when NexStar and Sinclair chose to bring the late-night show back.Were you surprised that Sinclair and NexStar and Sinclair both agreed to bring Jimmy Kimmel Live! back so quickly? Are you also surprised that he didn’t have to agree to any demands or conditions? Do you think his show should have been suspended in the first place? Was it an attack on free speech? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!The post NexStar CEO Defends Choice to Pull ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ appeared first on Inside the Magic.