Nexstar said on September 23, 2025, that its owned and partner ABC-affiliated stations would keep preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! even as ABC planned the program’s return. Nexstar cited Kimmel’s comments and said it wanted assurance of “respectful, constructive dialogue” in the markets it served. Three days later, Nexstar announced the show would return to its ABC-affiliated stations beginning that night.
Why did Nexstar refuse to air Jimmy Kimmel Live?
Nexstar’s September 23 statement said it stood by the decision to preempt the program, referring to Kimmel’s “ill-timed and insensitive” comments—language Nexstar said ABC had used—and seeking assurance that parties were committed to “respectful, constructive dialogue” in the markets it served. That is Nexstar’s stated rationale, not an independently established finding about the merits of the dispute. Nexstar’s September 23 statement
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Nexstar also said the program remained available nationwide through multiple Disney-owned streaming products during the station preemption, but did not identify those services. The statement therefore does not establish which services carried the show or their availability to an individual viewer.
When did Nexstar stations bring the show back?
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| September 17, 2025 | The Associated Press reported that ABC had suspended the show following Kimmel’s comments about reactions to Charlie Kirk’s killing, and that Nexstar said it would pull the program from its affiliates. AP reported that Nexstar operated 23 ABC affiliates at that point. Associated Press, September 17, 2025 |
| September 23, 2025 | As ABC planned the show’s return, Nexstar announced that its owned and partner ABC-affiliated stations would continue preempting it. Nexstar, September 23, 2025 |
| September 26, 2025 | Nexstar announced that the show would return to its ABC-affiliated stations beginning that night, after discussions with Disney. Nexstar said it appreciated Disney’s “constructive approach to addressing our concerns.” Nexstar, September 26, 2025 |
ABC’s temporary suspension and Nexstar’s decision to continue preempting the program after ABC planned its return were separate actions. The later Nexstar announcement concerned its own ABC-affiliated stations; it should not be read as saying every ABC affiliate had preempted the show.
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- Approx. Size: 27 x 40 Inches - 69cm x 102cm
- Size is provided by the manufacturer and may not be exact
- The Amazon image in this listing is a digital scan of the poster that you will receive
- Jimmy Kimmel Live Style A 27 x 40 Inches Poster
- Packaged with care and shipped in sturdy reinforced packing material
What did the affiliate counts and regulatory context show?
Contemporaneous reports gave different counts of Nexstar ABC affiliates. AP reported 23 on September 17, 2025; CBS News reported 33 on September 23, 2025. The available accounts do not explain the difference, so these are best treated as source- and date-specific figures, not a single definitive count for the episode. AP, September 17, 2025; CBS News, September 23, 2025
The preemption unfolded amid public attention to Kimmel’s remarks about reactions to Charlie Kirk’s killing and criticism from FCC Chair Brendan Carr. CBS News also reported that Nexstar’s proposed $6.2 billion Tegna acquisition was pending FCC approval. These events provide context, but the cited accounts do not establish that FCC pressure or the acquisition caused Nexstar’s programming decision. Nexstar’s published explanation was its concern about the comments and its request for assurance of respectful, constructive dialogue.
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