Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns tonight after ABC lifted its suspension on the late-night TV show. However, not everyone will get the opportunity to tune in and hear Jimmy Kimmel's first monologue back on the air. Nexstar announced it will continue to preempt the show, leaving millions of viewers out of the loop.
Nexstar, which controls a large portion of ABC affiliates nationwide, first took action against Kimmel last week. The broadcast group chose to keep Jimmy Kimmel Live! off its stations in response to Kimmel's commentary on Charlie Kirk's murder. Sinclair Broadcast Group followed, and soon ABC suspended the show indefinitely.
ABC reversed course on Monday following intense public backlash and scrutiny from prominent names in entertainment. However, Nexstar isn't backing down and will continue to preempt the show on its networks.
"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" Nexstar wrote 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. In the meantime, we note that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets.”
List of Nexstar ABC networks
Nexstar boasts the largest station group in the U.S., controlling 32 ABC affiliates in some of the biggest cities in the country. Here is a list of Nexstar-owned ABC affiliates with the station, media market and state/district:
- WDHN - Dothan, Alabama
- WTNH - New Haven-Hartford, Connecticut
- WEHT - Evansville, Indiana
- WAWV-TV - Terre Haute, Indiana
- KCAU-TV - Sioux City, Iowa
- WGNO - New Orleans, Louisiana
- KODE-TV - Joplin, Missouri
- WTEN, Albany–Schenectady, New York
- WIVT - Binghamton, New York
- WSYR-TV - Syracuse, New York
- WJET-TV - Erie, Pennsylvania
- WHTM-TV - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- WATE-TV - Knoxville, Tennessee
- WKRN-TV - Nashville, Tennessee
- KMAC - Lubbock, Texas
- KMID - Odessa-Midland, Texas
- WVNY - Burlington, Vermont
- WRIC-TV - Richmond, Virginia
- KTVX (ABC/MeTV) - Salt Lake City, Utah
- WJBF (ABC/MeTV) - Augusta, Georgia
- WTVO (ABC/MeTV) - Rockford, Illinois
- WUTR (ABC/MyTV) - Utica-Rome, New York
- WYTV (ABC/MyTV - Youngstown, Ohio
- WMBB (ABC/The CW) - Panama City, Florida
- WOTV(ABC/The CW) - Battle Creek, Michigan
- WLAJ (ABC/The CW) - Lansing, Michigan
- KSVI (ABC/The CW) - Billings, Montana
- WWTI (ABC/The CW) - Watertown, New York
- KTKA-TV (ABC/The CW) - Topeka, Kansas
Nexstar's initial decision to shut down JImmy Kimmel Live! raised eyebrows, sharing similarities with the sequence of events leading Paramount/CBS to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert . Critics argue Nexstar attempted to curry favor with FCC chair Brendan Carr, as the company seeks approval for a merger with Tenga. Nexstar has also lobbied to change a rule limiting any company from owning stations in more than 39% of U.S. markets.
For those fans not affected by Nexstar, Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs tonight at 11:35 p.m. ET.