NEW YORK (AP) — Two owners of ABC affiliate stations say they will continue to preempt late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel’s national broadcast with their own local programming, even after ABC announced it would reinstate his show across the country.
The decision by Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group highlights the influence—and sometimes tenuous relationship—local TV station owners have with national broadcasters like Disney-owned ABC.
Kimmel was briefly suspended following comments he made after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
### Who Are These Companies?
Together, Nexstar and Sinclair own about a quarter of ABC affiliates nationwide, including stations in major markets such as Washington, D.C.
#### Nexstar Media Group
Based in Irving, Texas, Nexstar operates 28 ABC affiliates. On Tuesday, the company reiterated its decision last week to preempt “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” until all parties demonstrate a commitment to fostering respectful and constructive dialogue.
Nexstar emphasized that the show will still be available nationwide on several Disney-owned streaming platforms, while its stations will focus on producing local news and programming relevant to their communities.
Some of Nexstar’s ABC-affiliated stations are located in Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans; Salt Lake City; Evansville, Indiana; and Binghamton, New York. Overall, Nexstar owns or partners with more than 200 stations across 116 U.S. markets. The company also owns broadcast networks such as The CW and NewsNation, the political website The Hill, and nearly one-third of the Food Network.
Looking ahead, Nexstar recently announced a $6.2 billion deal to acquire TEGNA Inc., which owns 64 additional TV stations. This deal hinges on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) potentially changing its rules limiting the number of stations a single company can own. FCC Chair Brendan Carr has indicated openness to revisiting those ownership limits.
#### Sinclair Broadcast Group
Sinclair, based in Hunt Valley, Maryland, operates 38 local ABC affiliates. Known for a conservative viewpoint in its broadcasts, Sinclair announced on Tuesday via X (formerly Twitter) that it will continue to preempt Kimmel’s show, replacing it with news programming.
“Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” the company said.
Sinclair owns, operates, or provides services to 178 TV stations in 81 markets affiliated with all major broadcast networks and owns the Tennis Channel. Its ABC stations include those in Washington, D.C., Portland, Oregon, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, among others.
### The Affiliate-Network Relationship
Local TV affiliates broadcast their own programs, such as local news, but contract with national broadcasters to air network shows. Affiliates pay the networks for national programming and split advertising revenue and cable fees.
For example, during an hour of commercial time, if there are 16 minutes of ads, approximately 12 minutes’ worth of revenue goes to the national broadcaster, while about 4 minutes go to the local station, said Matthew Dolgin, a senior analyst at Morningstar who covers technology, media, and telecom sectors.
While affiliates retain 100% of the ad revenue during local programming, national shows typically draw higher ratings and therefore command greater advertising dollars.
Dolgin noted, “In the markets where these companies own ABC affiliates, they tend to be smaller. They probably don’t have huge Kimmel viewership, so they don’t lose as much revenue by preempting his show. It’s easier for them to take a stand on Jimmy Kimmel than on marquee programs like Monday Night Football.”
### Past Controversies
Sinclair drew national attention in 2018 when it rolled out a video featuring dozens of its local news anchors delivering identical statements criticizing “the troubling trend of irresponsible, one-sided news stories” — a mandate that Sinclair imposed but did not disclose.
Nexstar operates in a similar fashion. Danilo Yanich, a public policy professor at the University of Delaware, calls Nexstar the “biggest duplicator” of news content, noting that its stations replicate broadcasts more than other affiliate owners.
### The Influence of Affiliates
Lauren Herold, editor of the forthcoming book *Local TV*, says the complex web of companies delivering television programming is largely unknown to most viewers, although their influence has been evident for decades.
Often, she explained, local affiliates have resisted airing programming they deem controversial—like the 1990s episode of *Ellen* where Ellen DeGeneres’s character came out as gay.
“While this is not unprecedented, what’s more alarming about the Kimmel incident is the top-down pressure involved,” Herold said. Unlike past conflicts driven by individual local executives, this situation involves powerful figures such as Disney CEO Bob Iger, FCC Chair Brendan Carr, and major station owners Sinclair and Nexstar.
“The FCC’s role in targeting specific programs for cancellation raises concerns among advocates for free discussion and debate on television,” she added.
Jasmine Bloemhof, a media strategist familiar with Sinclair and Nexstar stations, commented that media consolidation has granted these companies “enormous influence.”
“Incidents like the Kimmel controversy expose the tension between Hollywood-driven programming and the values of everyday Americans,” Bloemhof said. “Networks may promote one agenda, but affiliates owned by companies like Sinclair and Nexstar often serve conservative-leaning communities. That friction is bound to come out in the open.”
Still, Dolgin believes the balance of power may favor ABC over its affiliates. Although Disney relies on local affiliates for viewership and ad revenue, the ABC broadcast network constitutes only a small portion of Disney’s overall revenue.
“Disney has alternative ways to reach consumers through its streaming services and cable networks,” Dolgin said. “That puts them a bit in the driver’s seat in this relationship.”
https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-who-are-nexstar-and-sinclair-the-abc-affiliate-owners-who-issued-statements-against-jimmy-kimmel/
