Nexstar and Sinclair to Preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Despite ABC Reinstatement
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. announced on Tuesday that it will not air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on its affiliated stations, a decision echoed by Sinclair Broadcast Group. This defiance comes even as ABC’s parent company, Disney, has permitted the late-night talk show to return to the airwaves.
Nexstar, which owns 32 ABC affiliate stations across the country, stated it would “stand by” its initial decision to preempt the program. The company’s statement referred to what ABC had called Mr. Kimmel’s “ill-timed and insensitive” comments regarding the alleged assassin of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
“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,” Nexstar said. The company added that its stations will instead focus on local news and other programming, noting that the show would still be available on Disney’s streaming services…