Refusal to air Kimmel could pit station owners against Disney

Nexstar and Sinclair run the risk of losing all ABC programming

- BY MEG JAMES AND STEPHEN BATTAGLIO

CHRIS PIZZELLO Invision/AP GREGG DONOVAN holds a sign Tuesday at the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" studio.

Television station giants Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group said they will not run “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as the Walt Disney Co. brings the ABC comedian back to television, setting up a potentially bruising conflict between the Burbank entertainment giant and some of its affiliates.

Disney on Monday reversed its suspension of the late-night talk show after the host's comments about the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk set off a political firestorm.

But the dispute, which brought enormous pressure on Disney and put it at odds with the Trump administration, is far from resolved, and highlights the significant role of television station owners in the media business.

Nexstar and Sinclair both said they plan to keep Kimmel off the air in cities around the country as Kimmel’s show returned to production Tuesday. The decisions could test the network's relationship with its affiliated TV stations, which have long been the foundation of the broadcasting business.

“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,” Nexstar said Tuesday in a statement.

“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,” Nexstar said.

The Irving, Texas-based company operates 32 ABC affiliate stations, including in Salt Lake City, Nashville and Billings, Mont. Nexstar and Sinclair collectively cover nearly 25% of U.S. television homes. Losing those stations for Kimmel will diminish the ratings and reach of advertisers who buy time in the ABC television program.