Nexstar joined Sinclair in keeping Jimmy Kimmel Live! off some ABC-affiliated stations after ABC restored the show in September 2025. The preemption was temporary: both groups announced on September 26 that the program would return to their stations. The headline’s “one-third” figure should be treated as an estimate, not a verified station count; contemporaneous reports described different measures of reach, including 70 stations and roughly one-quarter of ABC affiliates or U.S. households.
What happened to Jimmy Kimmel Live?
ABC briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! after host Jimmy Kimmel made remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. When ABC announced the show’s return, Nexstar and Sinclair said their ABC-affiliated stations would continue to preempt it. That meant the network’s decision to restore the program did not immediately put it back on every local ABC station.
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The dispute ended as a broadcast preemption on September 26, 2025, when Sinclair said the show would return that evening and Reuters reported that both groups were ending the preemption across 70 ABC-affiliated stations. This was not a continuing boycott.
Why did Nexstar and Sinclair preempt the program?
Nexstar’s stated position
On September 23, Nexstar said it would continue preempting the show after ABC restored it. The company said it stood by its earlier decision “pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.” That is Nexstar’s stated rationale, not an independently established account of its motives.
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Sinclair’s stated position
Sinclair announced its preemption on September 17. Its initial statement called Kimmel’s remarks “inappropriate and deeply insensitive” and said the company would not return the show until it was confident appropriate steps had been taken. Sinclair also called for an apology and donation and said it wanted discussions with ABC about professionalism and accountability.
When it ended the preemption on September 26, Sinclair said its decision had been “independent of any government interaction or influence.” The company cited feedback from viewers, advertisers, and communities, and proposed an independent, network-wide ABC ombudsman. These are Sinclair’s statements; the available reporting does not establish that government pressure caused either company to preempt or restore the show.
How large was the blackout?
“One-third” is not a settled count. Reuters reported that 70 ABC-affiliated stations were affected and described their reach as nearly one-quarter of U.S. households. The Associated Press characterized Nexstar and Sinclair together as accounting for about one-quarter of ABC affiliates. Those figures describe different things: the number of stations, the share of ABC affiliates, and the share of households within the stations’ reach are not interchangeable.
The reports do not establish a definitive one-third share of ABC stations. The scale figures are reported estimates, so they are best understood with their source and measure attached.
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Timeline: from suspension to return
- September 17, 2025: Sinclair announced an indefinite preemption and said its ABC stations would air a special remembrance program in the show’s Friday slot.
- September 23, 2025: Nexstar said its owned and partner ABC affiliates would continue to preempt the show after ABC’s restoration decision. ABC affiliates operated by the two groups kept it off air when ABC lifted its suspension.
- September 26, 2025: Sinclair announced that the show would return that evening. Reuters reported that Nexstar and Sinclair were ending the preemption across 70 ABC-affiliated stations.
Where could viewers watch during the preemption?
In its September 23 statement, Nexstar said the program was available nationwide through multiple Disney-owned streaming products at that time. That contemporaneous statement does not establish where the show is available now; current streaming availability is not established here.
What the audience figures do—and do not—show
The Associated Press reported that ABC said nearly 6.3 million people watched the broadcast of Kimmel’s return. AP also reported more than 15 million YouTube views for his opening remarks by Wednesday evening, while ABC reported more than 26 million social-media views, including YouTube. These are separate figures with different platforms and time windows; they should not be added together or treated as equivalent measures of broadcast audience.
Later regulatory context
On October 6, 2026, the Associated Press reported a separate federal court dispute between ABC and the Federal Communications Commission over an early license review, including questions of free speech and jurisdiction. That later proceeding is regulatory context, not evidence that the 2025 preemption continued. The reporting cited here does not establish a legal outcome.
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