Kimmel Is Back, But Not Everywhere: How Long Can Nexstar & Sinclair Keep Him Sidelined And What Are ABC’s Options?

Jimmy Kimmel Live! is returning to ABC, but not in about one-quarter of U.S. households. Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair have said they still are not going to air the late-night show on their stations.

Between the two major station owners, the ban will affect viewers in dozens of markets, including sizable ones like Washington, D.C., Seattle, St. Louis and Portland, Or.

Those are some pretty large holes in the clearance map for a show that has pulled in $70 million in 2025 to date in advertising revenue, according to ad tracking firm iSpot. Its promotional value for Disney’s studio and streaming operations is also being diminished during both the show itself and its commercial breaks, with vertical promotions of Disney titles accounting for about 12% of ad time. The media giant, having taken some lumps from viewers and Hollywood during the nearly week-long crisis, will now be taking a…