Decades ago, individual broadcast stations for the major networks, NBC, CBS, and ABC used to be owned by individual groups. A lot of that changed over time as the business of television grew and larger media companies started buying multiple stations. Two of these larger entities are Nexstar and Sinclair. Between the two companies, they own over 20% of the ABC affiliate stations. Depending on where those stations are located, they can be broadcasting to millions of people in their respective areas.
Last week, Disney pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from the air indefinitely. This was due to comments host Jimmy Kimmel made about the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. There’s a lot more to it than that, and evidence of that is lingering this week as Kimmel returns to the airwaves tonight. But now, two affiliate networks are refusing to air the program.
This is a rare, but not unheard of rebellion of sorts that affiliates can engage in. For example, a Utah CBS station refused to broadcast an episode of “Picket Fences” back in the early 90s because of a lesbian kiss. There were also threats of NBC affiliates to not air episodes of the short-lived, “The Jay Leno Show” because the show’s ratings were so bad they were impacting local news programming as the lead-in to them.
With the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Situation, it entirely revolves around government pressure to stop airing a show, or else. FCC chairman, Brendan Carr literally threatened the broadcast licenses of networks for continuing to air Kimmel. While ABC has decided to move forward, Sinclair and Nexstar are refusing. Might this have something to do with Nexstar having an upcoming merger that needs to be approved by the FCC?
Kimmel’s monologues tend to be uploaded to YouTube shortly after they air, so if you are in a region where your local affiliate isn’t airing his show, you can at least watch him there.
