The program “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Returns to ABC broadcaster on Tuesday (23), but about a quarter of the broadcaster’s affiliated stations in the United States will not show the program.
Nextar and Sinclair groups, which have most of ABC’s local affiliates, have announced that they will suspend the transmission of the program indefinitely, replacing it with journalistic programming.
The decision occurs after Kimmel’s comments criticizing the Trump government’s response to the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which generated a negative reaction from authorities, including the president of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr, who accused the host of lying to the American public.
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The impasse between Disney, owner of ABC, and local stations groups represents a significant challenge for the network, as Nextar and Sinclair are responsible for an important slice of the program’s advertising revenue.
The controversy also impacts the Disney+streaming platform, which faces a cancellation campaign driven by political discontent.
Meanwhile, other ABC affiliates, like Gray and Hearst, plan to display the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Usually, showing that boycott is not unanimous among affiliate groups.
