David Bridges
Key Highlights
- Ownership: Nexstar Media Group is the largest television station owner in the U.S., overseeing 197 stations nationwide.
- Show Status: Nexstar will not air Jimmy Kimmel Live!, despite ABC’s reinstatement of the program.
- ABC Affiliates: Notable ABC affiliates owned by Nexstar include WDHN in Alabama and WTNH in Connecticut.
- Reason for Preemption: Nexstar cites concerns over Jimmy Kimmel’s comments related to a recent tragedy as the reason for not airing the show.
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.
What Is Nexstar Media Group?
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.
Will Nexstar Air Jimmy Kimmel?
No, like Sinclair Broadcast Group, Nexstar is also refusing to air Jimmy Kimmel Live! even though ABC reinstated the show.
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.”
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
What ABC Stations Belong to Nexstar?
Here are some of the ABC affiliate’s that Nexstar owns:
- WDHN: Dothan, Alabama
- WTNH: New Haven, Connecticut
- WEHT: Evansville, Indiana
- WGNO: New Orleans, Louisiana
- WSYR-TV: Syracuse, New York
The full list of Nexstar’s ABC affiliated stations can be found here.
Why Won’t Nexstar Air Jimmy Kimmel Live!?
Like Sinclair, Nexstar pointed to a remark that Kimmel made related to Tyler Robinson, the suspected shooter in Charlie Kirk‘s murder.
“The MAGA Gang (is) desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said during a September 15, 2025, episode of his late-night show. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
Shortly thereafter, Nexstar alerted Disney and the public that it would not air Kimmel’s show for the “foreseeable future” and added that it “strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.”
Shortly after news broke of Kirk’s death, Kimmel released a formal statement on Instagram, sending his condolences to the Kirk family.
“Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?” Kimmel wrote in a message on Instagram. “On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.”
Sophie Langley
