Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show is experiencing a significant blackout in numerous cities across the U.S. This comes as one of ABC’s largest affiliates remains skeptical about his emotional monologue delivered earlier this week.
The Nexstar Media Group has decided to continue its suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” at ABC stations, which began after Kimmel made contentious comments regarding the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Nexstar mentioned, “We are currently assessing the status of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ and will preempt the show on local ABC stations during this review.”
Additionally, they shared that productive discussions are underway with executives from the Walt Disney Company, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the program aligns with the diverse views of the communities they serve.
This action is part of Disney’s broader strategy to reinstate Kimmel on air.
Meanwhile, Sinclair Broadcast Group, which also operates a number of ABC affiliates, announced it will replace Kimmel with news programming for its ABC affiliates.
The latest on Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension regarding comments about Charlie Kirk
Sinclair noted last week that if Kimmel were to apologize to Erica Kirk and make a donation to Turning Point USA—an organization co-founded by Kirk—his program could potentially be aired again in their markets.
However, during his return last night, Kimmel chose not to issue an apology.
Nexstar and Sinclair combined cover about 25% of ABC’s reach nationwide, which left many unable to view Kimmel’s comeback this week.
Kimmel’s suspension was prompted by his comments during a monologue that linked Kirk’s alleged murderer with the “Magagang,” a move that drew backlash from conservative factions and political figures.
The tension between Nexstar and Sinclair regarding Kimmel’s airing rights may lead to legal disputes, as they could face contract violations by allowing the show to remain on air.
A former DOJ official indicated to the Post that a lawsuit is quite probable, suggesting that Nexstar and Sinclair might withhold affiliate fees, potentially leveraging conservative interest while navigating pending deals.
These two companies have gained substantial influence following FCC approvals of major purchases, including Nexstar’s $6 billion acquisition of Signa and their bid for the NFL network, after the FCC Chairman criticized Kimmel’s statements as conflicting with “public interest” regulations.
Furthermore, Disney has considered alternative distributions through its secondary networks in the event that affiliates refuse to air Kimmel.
ABC might reroute Kimmel through platforms like home shopping networks instead of traditional news and entertainment channels.
Although HSN is not directly associated with ABC, it’s possible for certain ABC affiliates to broadcast HSN content on alternative digital channels.
Despite a drop in ratings and an estimated annual loss of $20 million, insiders suggest that Disney is still opting to keep Kimmel for his potential to generate affiliate fees, sponsorships, and online revenue.
Comments from Sinclair and Disney are still being awaited.
