How to Effectively Boycott Nexstar and Sinclair: Protecting Free Speech Through Consumer Action

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How to Effectively Boycott Nexstar and Sinclair: Protecting Free Speech Through Consumer Action
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters / Unsplash

The Jimmy Kimmel Controversy: What You Need to Know

In September 2025, the suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" by ABC raised profound concerns about government overreach and its impact on media freedom. The situation unfolded after host Jimmy Kimmel's monologue mentioning the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In response, the Trump administration's FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, publicly condemned Kimmel and threatened punitive regulatory action against ABC and its affiliate stations, including the potential revocation of their broadcast licenses. This pressure tactic, known as "jawboning," appeared to have an immediate effect. Two major broadcast station owners, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group, subsequently announced they would no longer air the program, leading ABC and its parent company, Disney, to indefinitely suspend the show.

The incident is a chilling example of a federal agency being used to silence a critical media voice. While President Trump celebrated the show's cancellation, the move drew sharp condemnation from a broad spectrum of entertainers, constitutional scholars, and civil liberties groups like the ACLU, who warned of an unconstitutional effort to muzzle critics. The alarm was bipartisan, with even some prominent conservatives, such as Senator Ted Cruz, decrying the FCC's threats as "unbelievably dangerous" and akin to "mafioso tactics." This is a direct attack on the independence of the media and free press via the weaponization of regulatory power for political purposes. This cannot stand, and it's vital that the corporate owners that bowed to Trump see immediate repercussions to the bottom line for bending the knee.

Update: Before this article was published, Jimmy Kimmel's show was swiftly put back on the air by ABC and its parent company Disney. However, broadcasting companies Sinclair and Nexstar are still refusing to air Kimmel's show on their networks. Disney's reversal is a direct result of consumer boycotts and protests and this should serve as living proof that we all still have immense power to thwart Trump's despotic actions. It's incumbent on the companies that buy ad space on Nexstar and Sinclair to end their relationships with these companies immediately. To not do so shows a lack of respect for the fundamental right of all people to express themselves freely without threats to their livelihood, life and liberty.

There are groups all across the country pushing back on this new surge in government censorship. Learn more about the Friends Everywhere Network movement here.

Why Boycotts Work: The Power of Advertising Dollars

Television networks rely heavily on advertising revenue to fund their programming. When companies face consumer pressure regarding their advertising choices, they often respond by adjusting their media buying strategies. This economic pressure can be more effective than direct complaints to networks themselves. Nexstar and Sinclair derive their revenues from ads shown via commercials on the television networks they control. If these companies stop buying ad space then Sinclair and Nexstar will get the message in a language they appear to understand, loss of revenue. It's quite a shame that for the leaderships of these companies, the FCC approving of their mergers is worth throwing away their purported values. And it's unacceptable that the FCC, instead of approving mergers on the basis of actual anti-trust laws, is instead acting as a thuggish arm of Trump's emotional outbursts and vengeful attitude.

Taking Action: How to Contact Advertisers Effectively

Step 1: Identify Target Companies

The most effective boycotts focus on companies that regularly advertise during the programming or networks in question.

Step 2: Craft Your Message

When contacting companies, be:

  • Professional and respectful
  • Clear about your concerns
  • Specific about what action you want them to take
  • Honest about how this affects your purchasing decisions

Step 3: Use Multiple Contact Methods

  • Email customer service
  • Social media engagement
  • Phone calls to corporate offices
  • Written letters to headquarters

Companies to Contact

Bellow is a list of crowdsourced companies who were recently observed in advertisements on programs broadcasted by KTTV in Southern California, a Sinclair-affiliated station.

If you have information about additional advertisers on Sinclair or Nexstar networks, please email us at orangecounty@50501.ca with the name of the advertisers, the network and date/time of broadcast.