As Jimmy Kimmel prepares for his return to late-night television following Disney’s decision to end its brief suspension, another major broadcast group is making it clear that viewers in their markets won’t be seeing the comeback. Nexstar Media Group announced today that its ABC affiliate stations will continue an indefinite block of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
“We made a decision last week to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse,” the Irving, Texas-based company said in a statement. “We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”
The move keeps the nation’s largest television station owner at odds with Disney’s ABC network, which announced Monday it was bringing Kimmel back after what it called “thoughtful conversations” with the comedian following his controversial September 15 monologue dealing with the death of Charlie Kirk.
Nexstar’s continued preemption means viewers in markets including Nashville, Salt Lake City, New Orleans, and dozens of other cities served by the group, will be unable to watch Kimmel’s return on their local broadcast television. Instead, the company said its stations “will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets.”
With Sinclair Broadcasting’s announcement of similar preemption plans, the controversy means Kimmel’s Tuesday return will be ruled out for about a quarter of ABC viewers.
In its statement, Nexstar acknowledged that Jimmy Kimmel Live! remains available through Disney’s streaming platforms, effectively creating a two-tier system where cord-cutters with streaming access can watch while traditional broadcast viewers cannot.
