Jimmy Kimmel and ABC may have come to an agreement about his late night return, but media groups Nexstar and Sinclair still fought back.
Us Weekly confirmed last week that ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! due to backlash over comments he made about the man suspected of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death and President Donald Trump’s reaction to his death. At the time, a spokesperson for the network told Us the show was “preempted indefinitely.” That same day, Variety reported that the decision came after Nexstar Media reportedly threatened to eliminate Jimmy Kimmel Live! from its lineup.
Shortly after, ABC received backlash for deciding to unceremoniously pull Kimmel off the air. In addition to many fans and viewers speaking out online, 400 A-Listers signed an open letter in support of bringing the comedian back to late night on Monday, September 22. Later that day, ABC announced that Kimmel would be returning to TV screens the following night.
“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,” the Walt Disney Company said in a statement. “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.”
Shortly after ABC announced Kimmel would return, both Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Media Group released statements revealing their affiliates would continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live!. (Sinclair later announced that it was ending its boycott and would air Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its stations immediately.)
Keep scrolling for a breakdown on Nexstar and Sinclair’s drama with Kimmel and which areas will not broadcast Jimmy Kimmel Live!:
When Does Jimmy Kimmel Return to Late Night?
Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to ABC on Tuesday, September 23. His guests include Glen Powell and Sarah McLachlan as the musical act.
Why Are Some ABC Channels Not Airing ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’?
Not every ABC station will be airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! due to Nexstar and Sinclair’s continued decision not to air the show..
What Are Nexstar and Sinclair?
Nexstar and Sinclair are the largest media companies that own and operate local TV stations across the United States. They serve as affiliates for not just ABC, but also for NBC, CBS and Fox.
As an affiliate, the major networks do not own the local channel itself, primarily in smaller markets. Networks can own the channel in big metropolitan areas, including New York City and Los Angeles.
What Is Nexstar and Sinclair’s Issue With Jimmy Kimmel?
Both Nexstar and Sinclair supported ABC’s decision to suspend Kimmel for his comments following Kirk’s death. Sinclair previously demanded that Kimmel apologize to the Turning Point USA cofounder’s family and “make a meaningful personal donation” to either the family or to Kirk’s conservative nonprofit.
Which Areas Are Not Seeing ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’?
Nexstar and Sinclair’s decision to not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! will affect nearly 70 local ABC channels across the country.
Nexstar’s affected cities include Amarillo, Texas, San Angelo, Texas, Birmingham, Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, Champaign, Illinois, Springfield, Illinois, Decatur, Illinois, Quincy, Illinois, Charleston, West Virginia, Huntington, West Virginia, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Columbus, Ohio, Dayton, Ohio, Eureka, California, Florence, South Carolina, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Greenville, South Carolina, Spartanburg, South Carolina, Anderson, South Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina, High Point, North Carolina, Winston Salem, North Carolina, Asheville, North Carolina, Lincoln, Nebraska, Hastings, Nebraska, Kearney, Nebraska, Little Rock, Arkansas, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Macon, Georgia, Pensacola, Florida, Ottumwa, Iowa, Keokuk, Iowa, Kirksville, Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, Roanoke, Virginia, Lynchburg, Virginia, Rochester, New York, Seattle, Washington, Tacoma, Washington, Traverse City, Michigan, Cadillac, Michigan, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Washington, D.C.
Sinclair’s preempts will affect Nashville, Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, Salt Lake City, Utah, Hartford, Connecticut, New Haven, Connecticut, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Erie, Pennsylvania, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Lansing, Michigan, New Orleans, Louisiana, Richmond, Virginia, Albany, New York, Syracuse, New York, Binghamton, New York, Utica, New York, Watertown, New York, Burlington, Vermont, Augusta, Georgia Evansville, Indiana, Terre Haute, Indiana, Youngstown, Ohio, Rockford, Illinois, Topeka, Kansas, Lubbock, Texas, Midland, Texas, Odessa, Texas, Panama City, Florida, Sioux City, Iowa, Joplin, Missouri, Wheeling, West Virginia, Clarksburg, West Virginia, Weston, West Virginia Steubenville, Ohio, Billings, Montana, Dothan, Alabama and the Tri-Cities region in Tennessee and Virginia.
Where Else Can Viewers Watch ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’?
In addition to airing live on ABC, Jimmy Kimmel Live! is available to stream the next day on Hulu.
Sinclair Ends ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Boycott
Sinclair announced on September 26 that it was ending its preemption of Kimmel’s talk show. All 38 of the group’s affiliate ABC stations were set to air a rerun of Kimmel’s September 23 episode — his first show back on the air post-controversy — that night.
“While we understand that not everyone will agree with our decisions about programming, it is simply inconsistent to champion free speech while demanding that broadcasters air specific content,” Sinclair said in a statement, per Variety.
Nexstar Concludes Boycott After Sinclar’s Announcement
Hours after Sinclair confirmed they were resuming Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Nexstar issued a similar statement revealing Kimmel would be back that same evening.
“We have had discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company and appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns,” the media group said. “As a local broadcaster, Nexstar remains committed to protecting the First Amendment while producing and airing local and national news that is fact-based and unbiased and, above all, broadcasting content that is in the best interest of the communities we serve.”
The statement continued, “We stand apart from cable television, monolithic streaming services, and national networks in our commitment – and obligation – to be stewards of the public airwaves and to protect and reflect the specific sensibilities of our communities. To be clear, our commitment to those principles has guided our decisions throughout this process, independent of any external influence from government agencies or individuals.”
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