Nexstar Continues Boycott of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Nexstar Media Group announced on Wednesday that it will maintain its boycott of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The company stated that discussions with ABC are ongoing and “productive,” but the show will not be aired on their stations.

“Nexstar is continuously evaluating the status of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on our local ABC stations,” the statement said. “We are in constructive conversations with executives at the Walt Disney Company, focusing on ensuring the program aligns with the diverse interests of our communities.”

This decision follows a controversy where Kimmel mistakenly suggested that conservative activist Charlie Kirk was arrested, connecting him with a different individual’s arrest related to the MAGA movement.

Nexstar operates around 200 stations across 116 U.S. markets, reaching an audience of 220 million. As it stands, none of these viewers can access Kimmel’s show.

Nexstar President Andrew Alford expressed frustration with Kimmel’s comments last week, which he described as “aggressive and insensitive during a critical time in our nation’s political discourse.”

“We believe we aren’t reflecting the views or values of our community,” Alford noted. “Continuing to air Kimmel’s show right now doesn’t serve the public interest. We made a tough decision to step back from the show to foster respectful dialogue.”

Kimmel’s show faced similar restrictions from Disney and ABC, while Sinclair also removed it for a time. However, Kimmel returned to the air on Tuesday, criticizing Donald Trump and clarifying that he did not intend to make light of the situation involving Charlie Kirk.

Despite his return, Kimmel’s ratings have taken a significant hit. Viewership among the crucial 18-49 age demographic has plummeted—from 212,000 in January to just 129,000 in August.