Sinclair Broadcast Group currently operates about 38 local ABC affiliates in the United States.

Quick Scoop: Sinclair’s ABC footprint

  • Sinclair is one of the largest owners of local TV stations in the U.S., with affiliates of all the major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, etc.).
  • A 2025 overview of ABC late-night carriage notes that Sinclair “operates 38 local ABC affiliates,” describing its role as a major ABC affiliate owner in markets including Washington, D.C., Portland (OR), and Chattanooga (TN).
  • These affiliation agreements with ABC/Disney have been renewed in multi‑year deals that run into 2026, covering Sinclair’s ABC stations in dozens of markets.

Why the number matters

  • Owning roughly three dozen ABC affiliates means Sinclair controls ABC-branded local news and programming in many mid‑sized and some larger markets, which gives it substantial influence over how national ABC content and local news are presented.
  • Industry and forum discussions often reference Sinclair (alongside Nexstar) as collectively controlling around a quarter of ABC affiliates nationwide, which is why any programming dispute or preemption (like over “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”) can quickly become national news.

In short, if you’re watching ABC in one of those 38 Sinclair‑run markets, the local station’s ownership and editorial decisions are largely shaped by Sinclair’s corporate policies.

TL;DR: Sinclair runs about 38 ABC affiliates across the U.S., making it one of the key corporate owners of local ABC stations.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.