Boycotting Sinclair for Not Airing Jimmy Kimmel Is Trickier Than Boycotting Disney

Following the announcement that ABC would be bringing Jimmy Kimmel Live! back after suspending the show last week, many people celebrated the small part they might have played in that reversal. Many chose to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions after the news, and it seems that Disney ultimately felt the pressure to bring Kimmel back.

Following the news that Kimmel would be returning to ABC, though, was the news that Sinclair Broadcast Group would continue to preempt his show with news coverage while it works with ABC. Sinclair, which is a broadcast group that owns regional affiliates of ABC across the country, has long had ties to the right in America. Now, many want to know how they can boycott the company. Here's what we know.

Boycotting Sinclair is, unfortunately, not quite as simple as canceling Disney+ or pulling out of a planned trip to the theme parks. It is possible, though, to make those affiliate stations start to feel squeezed; it just might require a little more work.

Dan Satterfield, a retired meteorologist from Maryland who worked in local TV for decades, offered the most concrete explanation of what to do.

"OK, I keep getting asked about how to complain about Kimmel," he wrote on Facebook. "The best way to complain that will have the biggest impact? See if you have a Sinclair or Nexstar station in your area. 2. Watch the local newscast tonight or sometime this week. 3. Note the companies that bought TV adverts. 4. Call them and let them know you will boycott them until they quit supporting that media company."

"Trust me. I worked in TV for 45 years. Nothing you do will have greater impact. Nothing," he continued. "This is a much more effective tool than cancelling Disney. We did cancel Disney but calling Joe’s Jeep dealership who is buying adds on the local Nexstar station will have a BIG impact. Joe doesn’t need that grief. He will find another station to buy adverts on."

Basically, then, the best way to pressure Sinclair is to pressure the advertisers that buy advertisements on the station by telling them that you will boycott their stores unless they stop buying ads there. It's a little more indirect but arguably more effective, as it will dry up the main source of revenue that Sinclair relies on to stay in business.

Dan wrote that post before ABC brought Kimmel back, so at this point, it only applies to Sinclair and not to Nexstar, which has not yet announced whether it will be airing Kimmel or not. You can find out if Sinclair owns your ABC affiliate by checking this list.

This effort is not something that everyone can participate in. If you've got a Sinclair affiliate in your area, though, take note of who advertises on that station, and politely give them a call and let them know that you won't be able to buy their stuff unless they stop giving Sinclair money.