Nexstar ABC Stations Dropping Kimmel

[Georgie56 3661]

Deadline reports.

[TVLurker 389]

2 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

Deadline reports.

I thought Sinclair would pull the trigger first. Who knew Nexstar would end up doing it. 

 

I'm fearing this will get traction to the point where Kimmel is gone. Who knows if anything is going to happen to Fallon but crazier things have happened lately.

[carolinanews4 455]

And now, per Deadline, the network has pulled Kimmel off the air "indefinitely" after Nexstar's move. The Hollywood Reporter advances the Deadline story a bit by reporting that ABC "had also heard from at least one other station group about the show."

 

If true, that would undoubtedly make it more challenging to keep him on the air from purely a clearance perspective. Nexstar, by itself, isn't an ABC powerhouse in large markets, but if one of the other groups, Scripps, Hearst, or even Sinclair, were to be the one calling, then your clearance drops to a level where you can't sell advertising. That is to say nothing of the publicity around this situation, which would make advertisers run for the hills. 

 

https://deadline.com/2025/09/jimmy-kimmel-live-off-abc-charlie-kirk-comments-1236547397/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/abc-affiliate-nexstar-suspends-jimmy-kimmel-live-charlie-kirk-1236374150/

Edited September 17, 2025 by carolinanews4
Adding more information

[Nelson R. 585]

13 minutes ago, TVLurker said:

I thought Sinclair would pull the trigger first. Who knew Nexstar would end up doing it. 

 

I'm fearing this will get traction to the point where Kimmel is gone. Who knows if anything is going to happen to Fallon but crazier things have happened lately.

 

3 minutes ago, carolinanews4 said:

And now, per Deadline, the network has pulled Kimmel off the air "indefinitely" after Nexstar's move. 

 

https://deadline.com/2025/09/jimmy-kimmel-live-off-abc-charlie-kirk-comments-1236547397/

Nightline can move back to 11:35

[Reweivvt88 173]

It's just insane what has happened to America's media companies.

 

They are all a disgrace. I used to worry about the decline and cutbacks at traditional media because there is so much fake news online, but CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, Nexstar, etc. have all decided they want to appease the far right and the far right only. They are all terrified of the far right dictator in the white house and the FCC and worried about him harming their other assets. Our media companies are as credible as the media companies in China and Russia. 

 

Jimmy Kimmel doesn't need his ABC show. He talks about leaving all the time. 

[nathannah 2792]

If ABC and Nexstar think the soap fans were out for blood after their shows got cancelled, this is unknown territory.

 

They basically punished the rest of the country because Perry Sook's (and likely David Smith) feelings got offended, and even if late night's audience has dwindled, that is a tentpole like their New York morning circuit. I didn't even know this was still possible with iron-clad affiliation agreements since we haven't seen this since all the Southern affiliates got Grayed and Nexstared up (even KSL carries NBC now in full without any objections).

 

Get out the popcorn, because Colbert was nice enough to be a gentleman. That's not happening with Jimmy, especially with his Brooklyn week coming up. And seeing ABC News just deteriorate after they made George capitulate has been even more silently apparent compared to CBS.

[HanSolo 467]

Fascism isn’t coming. It’s here. 

Never mind the irony that the person being mourned as a victim of an absolutely heinous crime is memorialized as being a champion of free speech. Kimmel’s comments apparently don’t count. 

[tyrannical bastard 4676]

The only thing worse than Kimmel getting yanked off the air is the all-too-soon reality that the no-talent ass clown Jimmy Fallon will be the last late show standing.

 

At least back in 1993 the USA was in a FAR better place even in the infancy of the Bill Clinton days...

 

Before I end my rant.....

 

 

 

(Dirty language ahead)

 

 

 

 

 

FUCK Perry Sook...

FUCK Nexstar.

AND FUCK Donald Trump!

 

Edited September 27, 2025 by tyrannical bastard
Mic drop

[AmericanErrorist 267]

4 minutes ago, tyrannical bastard said:

The only thing worse than Kimmel getting yanked off the air is the all-too-soon reality that Jimmy Fallon will be the last late show standing.

 

At least back in 1993 the USA was in a FAR better place even in the infancy of the Bill Clinton days...

The word is that CBS will make a cheaper Colbert replacement show from Broadcast Center with no audience or band.

[MediaZone4K 2661]

16 hours ago, TVLurker said:

I thought Sinclair would pull the trigger first. Who knew Nexstar would end up doing it. 

 

I'm fearing this will get traction to the point where Kimmel is gone. Who knows if anything is going to happen to Fallon but crazier things have happened lately.

 

I cant stand Kimmel ranting about Trump EVERYnight....BUT what a joke.

 

The same people who were advocating for free speech in the wake of a politically motivated murder, are the same people censoring free speech that they do not agree with. The fact that they don't see the irony in this is one giant South Park episode.

 

This gives creedence to the theories that Stephen Colbert was pulled off the air because of Trump. But this situation is definitely not debatable and is clearly a result of the Trump administration.

 

Americans only thought right wing propaganda was present on Fox News until that Sinclair video dropped, and more people became aware of third-party local TV affiliate ownership. This situation definitely doesn't look good for Nexstar, and makes them look just as bad as Sinclair. 

 

Well, Stephen Colbert can now go as crazy as he wants to since he has nothing to lose....or maybe CBS pulls him off the air instantly.

 

Jimmy Fallon can do an interesting thing here as the last man standing. Either close his mouth and continue his job where he minimally speaks on politics, or stand with the other two hosts. I wouldn't fault him for choosing either.

 

** Seth Meyers is also still on. He's pretty vocal. His fate remains to be seen.

Edited September 18, 2025 by MediaZone4K

[tyrannical bastard 4676]

Brendan Carr and all of his cronies are idiots because...

 

ABC AND THE OTHER NETWORKS DO NOT HAVE FCC LICENSES!!!

 

Only the stations themselves are licensed and liable for their operation.  And given the sway the networks have over their affiliates, that discretion is very limited.

 

All it takes is an oligarch like Perry Sook to make a fuss and then the network relents...

 

 

Edited September 17, 2025 by tyrannical bastard

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

I wonder what ABC's late night programming will consist of in the meantime.

 

It'll be just Nightline? Also, airing right after local news or will affiliates be allowed to air something else before Nightline? Like these are questions that are gonna have to be made in such a short notice before the late night hours arrive tonight and I don't think affiliates saw this coming or were ready for it, if this were to happen (as it now has).

[atlnews2 631]

Kimmel is also the host of Millionaire. How ABC handles that May give us insight into what happens next 

[HanSolo 467]

Temporarily air reruns as an immediate stopgap?

Good Night America? (No, I’m not serious.)

 

Shark Tank After Dark?

 

 

[nathannah 2792]

7 minutes ago, TheRolyPoly said:

I wonder what ABC's late night programming will consist of in the meantime.

 

It'll be just Nightline? Also, airing right after local news or will affiliates be allowed to air something else before Nightline?

Considering this is the start of the TV season (and as I mentioned, they have a week of shows from Brooklyn at the end of the month), they have to do something to keep the show running; do any of Jimmy's former guest hosts stab him in the back and 'cross the line', so to speak, and try to host in his stead (I don't see it but stranger things have happened)? There are publicists who are probably lighting up phone lines now because their projects and artists are suddenly without a show to be on (I assume that the big Oscar movie this year, One Battle After Another, really needs that publicity going into next week).

Edited September 17, 2025 by nathannah

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

WMAR posted news involving this on their Facebook page and one of the comments said that ABC would rerun Celebrity Family Feud in that timeslot.

 

I mean, it would keep some kind of comedy in the late night slot as its games mixed in with comedy.

[MediaZone4K 2661]

I see Kimmel being offended by this move and quitting, and doing his own thing on maybe HBO or streaming.

[HanSolo 467]

4 minutes ago, TheRolyPoly said:

WMAR posted news involving this on their Facebook page and one of the comments said that ABC would rerun Celebrity Family Feud in that timeslot.

 

I mean, it would keep some kind of comedy in the late night slot as its games mixed in with comedy.

Not the revival of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (I kid.)

[Reweivvt88 173]

32 minutes ago, nathannah said:

Considering this is the start of the TV season (and as I mentioned, they have a week of shows from Brooklyn at the end of the month), they have to do something to keep the show running; do any of Jimmy's former guest hosts stab him in the back and 'cross the line', so to speak, and try to host in his stead (I don't see it but stranger things have happened)? There are publicists who are probably lighting up phone lines now because their projects and artists are suddenly without a show to be on (I assume that the big Oscar movie this year, One Battle After Another, really needs that publicity going into next week).

I know they are saying it's pulled "indefinitely" and not cancelled but "indefinitely" always ends up being fired/cancelled, so they don't have to keep the show running. I expect they will likely just move Nightline to 11:35 and air something like repeats of The View or GMA3 at 12:05 and the hour will most likely get returned back to affiliates or replaced by repeats. It just wouldn't make financial sense to try and launch a new talk show in this slot, even if you ignore the dire economics of late night, there would be huge backlash and massive viewer rejection to any replacement talk show, even if they could manage to find a host who would be willing to damage their reputation as the person who replaced Kimmel. This is the network that airs old Disney movies on Sunday nights in primetime throughout the fall, I really don't think they will bother to spend money on fresh content at midnight knowing that angry viewers would just boycott it anyway. 

Edited September 18, 2025 by Reweivvt88

[Georgie56 3661]

Sinclair ABCs airing a Charlie Kirk memorial special in place of Kimmel on Friday.

 

 

Edited September 18, 2025 by Georgie56

[MediaZone4K 2661]

1 minute ago, Georgie56 said:

Sinclair ABCs airing a Charlie Kirk memoriam special in place of Kimmel on Friday.

 

 

As if the propaganda couldn't get any spicier

[ABC 7 Denver 1889]

This is why monopolies in local television are so bad.

1 hour ago, HanSolo said:

Temporarily air reruns as an immediate stopgap?

Good Night America? (No, I’m not serious.)

 

Shark Tank After Dark?

 

 

 

Who wants to see Kevin O'Leary in a negligee?

[mre29 1967]

26 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

Sinclair ABCs airing a Charlie Kirk memorial special in place of Kimmel on Friday.

 

For those of you who'd rather not go to Xitter just to read the entire post...

 

Quote

Sinclair’s ABC stations to Air Special in Remembrance of Charlie Kirk During Jimmy Kimmel Live! Friday Timeslot

Sinclair’s ABC stations will air a special in remembrance of Charlie Kirk this Friday, during the Jimmy Kimmel Live! timeslot. The special will also air across all Sinclair stations this weekend. In addition, Sinclair is offering the special to all ABC affiliates across the country.

 

 

[GoldenShine_10 263]

Where does it leave the other big companies like Scripps and Gray? I know they've been quiet so far.

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

KSAT San Antonio will NOT follow ABC's lead.

 

Instead, the weeknight Nightbeat at 10:00 goes back to an hour for the first time since 2019.

 

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1229793872520385&id=100064693507876