NEW: Major Broadcaster Extends Kimmel Suspension Despite Disney Reversal

The suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel will continue to go unabated in parts of the country controlled by one of ABC’s largest broadcasters, which on Monday protested his reinstatement.

Less than a week after mocking the MAGA characterization of Tyler Robinson, the suspected killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Kimmel is back up on the airwaves following Disney’s decision to lift his “indefinite” suspension. The news had liberals cheering, but Disney maintained that the comedian’s sidelining was always going to be temporary.

One broadcaster did not receive the news well, however; Sinclair, which manages about 40 regional ABC affiliates across the country, promised to run alternative programming when Kimmel returns Tuesday night. An area serviced by Sinclair is Washington, D.C., home of the Federal Communications Commission and its pro-Trump chair, Brendan Carr.

“Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” the company’s statement read.

Sinclair’s initial protest of Kimmel was followed by one by Nexstar, another ABC broadcaster, kickstarting the media avalanche that eventually swept Kimmel away.

Media observers believe Sinclair has dug its heels in due to a pending merger with Tegna, which is valued at $6.2 billion and sits before the FCC for approval.

“Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country,” Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith said in a statement.

Last week, Sinclair said it would not lift its suspension of Kimmel after holding status talks with ABC.

“Sinclair also calls upon Mr. Kimmel to issue a direct apology to the Kirk family. Furthermore, we ask Mr. Kimmel to make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk family and Turning Point USA,” the company stated. “Regardless of ABC’s plans for the future of the program, Sinclair intends not to return ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ to our air until we are confident that appropriate steps have been taken to uphold the standards expected of a national broadcast platform.”

Disney made the call to temporarily cancel Kimmel after the host refused to “kowtow” to his critics by apologizing for suggesting that Robinson was a right-wing fan of President Donald Trump.

On Monday, the company sounded a different tune. Sources familiar with Kimmel’s Tuesday night monologue told outlets he will address the situation but does not plan to apologize for his remarks.

“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” a Disney spokesperson told Fox News.