Nexstar and Disney are attempting to resolve their issues over Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Along with the FCC, local TV giant Nexstar was at the forefront of the backlash against Jimmy Kimmel Live following the late night host’s comments last week regarding the murder of Charlie Kirk. And ahead of Jimmy Kimmel Live’s return to ABC’s lineup on Tuesday, Nexstar announced it would continue to preempt the program.
However, now, the company is engaged in discussions with Disney.
“Nexstar is continuing to evaluate the status of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on our ABC-affiliated local television stations, and the show will be preempted while we do so,” the company said in a statement. “We are engaged in productive discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company, with a focus on ensuring the program reflects and respects the diverse interests of the communities we serve.”
Sinclair, another large owner of local TV affiliates, also preempted Jimmy Kimmel Live on its stations on Tuesday. The company hasn’t responded to a request for comment.
Despite Jimmy Kimmel Live being preempted on both Nexstar and Sinclair affiliates, the late night host expected big ratings in his return to the airwaves on Tuesday. Reuters reported that Kimmel’s new monologue had more than 17 million views on Google’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram as of Wednesday afternoon.
