Markets keep Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air as Disney sets return, affiliates press pause

Large-market ABC affiliates in a growing number of cities will not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! for now, as the dispute over the host's remarks continues to ripple through local stations. Disney announced on Monday that Kimmel's late-night show will resume in many markets, but Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group said they will keep preempting the program in numerous locations, citing a need for a “respectful, constructive dialogue” in the markets they serve. The renewed standoff comes after Kimmel’s remarks about the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk sparked an outcry and prompted a veiled threat from the Federal Communications Commission.

Disputes center on Kimmel's remarks about the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk, which drew criticism from conservatives and liberals alike and led to a temporary pull from air in several Nexstar- and Sinclair-occupied markets. The show was pulled from the air last Wednesday as the controversy intensified. Disney said Jimmy Kimmel Live! would return, and the host was expected to address the controversy on the show on Tuesday night. In many markets, however, viewers will still not see the return on linear television.

Disney owns ABC affiliates in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston and Raleigh-Durham. In those markets, Kimmel’s return is planned, while affiliates in other markets will see the program either delayed or preempted depending on local decisions.

Markets where Nexstar owns the ABC affiliate and Kimmel will be preempted include: Nashville, Tennessee; Salt Lake City, Utah; Hartford / New Haven, Connecticut; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; New Orleans, Louisiana; Richmond, Virginia; Knoxville, Tennessee; Albany, New York; Syracuse, New York; Burlington, Vermont; Tri-Cities, Tennessee-Virginia; Augusta, Georgia; Evansville, Indiana; Lansing, Michigan; Youngstown, Ohio; Rockford, Illinois; Lubbock, Texas; Midland / Odessa, Texas; Panama City, Florida; Sioux City, Iowa; Joplin, Missouri; Erie, Pennsylvania; Terre Haute, Indiana; Binghamton, New York; Wheeling / Steubenville, West Virginia-Ohio; Billings, Montana; Dothan, Alabama; Utica, New York; Clarksburg / Weston, West Virginia; Watertown, New York; and related cross-border market areas.

Markets where Sinclair Broadcast Group owns the ABC affiliate and Kimmel will be preempted include: Abilene-Sweetwater, Texas; Amarillo, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; Charleston - Huntington, West Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Columbus, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Eureka, California; Florence - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Greensboro - High Point - Winston Salem, North Carolina; Greenville - Spartanburg - Asheville, South Carolina - North Carolina; New Bern, North Carolina; Lincoln - Hastings - Kearney, Nebraska; Little Rock - Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Macon, Georgia; Mobile - Pensacola, Alabama - Florida; Ottumwa, Iowa / Kirksville, Missouri; Portland, Oregon; Roanoke - Lynchburg, Virginia; Rochester, New York; San Angelo, Texas; Seattle - Tacoma, Washington; Traverse City - Cadillac, Michigan; Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Sinclair has said discussions with ABC are ongoing as it evaluates the show’s potential return in its markets, while Nexstar said it stands by its decision to bench Kimmel pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering a respectful dialogue in the markets they serve. In the meantime, the show will be available nationwide on Disney-owned streaming products, and local affiliates will continue to air local news and other programming in place of the late-night program in markets where preemption remains.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr defended the actions of ABC affiliates after Kimmel’s remarks, arguing that local stations have a duty to consider how content affects their communities. The FCC’s stance underscores the ongoing political dimension of the dispute and the role of local broadcasters in shaping what audiences can access on prime-time programming.

The saga began when Kimmel, during a monologue about the Charlie Kirk case, suggested that the suspect’s political alignment associated with MAGA could be used to score points in political argument. The 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson, was identified by authorities as the man who fatally shot Kirk’s alleged assassin at a college event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. FBI texts released in the wake of the shooting appeared to show Robinson confessing, adding to the case’s complexity and the public discourse surrounding it.

Disney has not responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the ongoing preemption and the company’s approach to the show’s return in affected markets. The network’s stance, along with Nexstar’s and Sinclair’s, suggests a broader tension between national media policy and local market sensitivities in the wake of high-profile political remarks.

As the industry tracks the evolving stance of ABC-owned stations and affiliates nationwide, audiences should note that while some major markets will see Kimmel’s return, many others will continue to rely on local programming in the time slot. The next steps for ABC, Disney, and the affiliate groups will likely hinge on ongoing discussions about content standards, community standards, and the evolving landscape of late-night television.

The ongoing situation highlights how a single controversy can ripple through national-media operations and complicate the traditional model of a single show airing across a broad network. As Disney pushes for a standard return, local stations weigh the balance between national programming and the preferences of their audiences, ultimately shaping what viewers can watch in the late-night hour in their communities.