Two major television station conglomerates are “pre-empting” Jimmy Kimmel Live! despite ABC’s reinstatement of the show: Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group. The companies own multiple TV stations affiliated with The Walt Disney Company’s ABC. Here, we explain what Nexstar is, which ABC stations it oversees and how this affects Jimmy Kimmel.
Nexstar is the largest television station owner in the U.S. as of 2025. It owns 197 stations around the country. Nexstar now operates The CW and The CW Plus.
No, like Sinclair Broadcast Group, Nexstar is also refusing to air Jimmy Kimmel Live! even though ABC reinstated the show.
JUST IN: Nexstar joins Sinclair, announces they will continue preempting Jimmy Kimmel following his comments on Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“We made a decision last week to preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s “ill-timed and insensitive”… pic.twitter.com/90ynl45ABA
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 23, 2025
On September 23, 2025, Nexstar released a statement, which read, “We made a decision last week to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse. 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.”
“In the meantime, we note that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets,” Nexstar pointed out.
The updated news release was titled, “Company Will Monitor the Show as it Returns to ABC.”
