Jimmy Kimmel Suspended Amid FCC and Affiliate Tensions

Boston, September 24, 2025

News Summary

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has been suspended for three shows following escalating tensions between Disney, FCC Chairman, and affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair. The regulatory environment has pressurized major station owners to threaten blocking Kimmel’s program, prompting Disney to act swiftly. This situation highlights the growing vulnerabilities of networks due to affiliate control and regulatory concerns while signaling shifts in how late-night programming is perceived by networks in the evolving media landscape.

Boston

Jimmy Kimmel Temporarily Suspended Amid Network, Affiliate and FCC Tensions

Disney suspended late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for three shows after a series of escalations involving federal regulatory pressure and threatened preemptions from major station groups. The action followed public remarks by the FCC chair and subsequent announcements from large affiliate owners that they would consider blocking the program.

The Kimmel suspension came after FCC Chairman’s public threats towards ABC and its affiliates, notably Nexstar and Sinclair. In response to the chairman’s statements, Nexstar and Sinclair announced plans to preempt Kimmel indefinitely after the FCC Chairman’s remarks. Those affiliate threats prompted Disney to take the temporary suspension step while the situation remains unsettled.

Immediate impact and industry context

For the second time this year, late-night television has become a major media news story. The decision to suspend the host was characterized by executives as not entirely a financial calculation but as a response to affiliate control and regulatory risk. Due to its affiliate control, Disney had to suspend Kimmel’s show after threats from Nexstar and Sinclair.

Major station ownership and regulatory rules are central to the dispute. Current FCC regulations prevent a single company from owning TV stations reaching more than 39% of U.S. television homes. Large groups that own many local stations can therefore exert significant leverage over networks that depend on affiliate carriage to reach viewers.

Affiliate power, ownership lobbying and network strategy

Major station owner Nexstar is lobbying to alter the FCC ownership cap. Nexstar and Sinclair together own substantial portions of stations that carry ABC programming, which increases their influence when they threaten preemption. Executives say that affiliate control can make networks vulnerable when affiliates coordinate on carriage decisions.

Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, suggested in summer 2023 that ABC may not be central to Disney’s core business. Those earlier comments have resurfaced amid the current standoff, prompting renewed questions about ABC’s strategic value inside its parent company.

Late-night changes and broader programming shifts

The episode reflects wider shifts in how networks view late-night shows and sports. CBS decided to cancel “The Late Show” instead of handing it over to a new host, indicating a reduced commitment to late-night programming. Networks are reassessing investments in traditional late-night formats even as they balance relationships with local affiliates.

Networks are dependent on sports programming to maintain relevancy in broadcast television. At the same time, major broadcast networks are increasingly moving sports content to streaming services despite availability on traditional broadcast. Sports remain a key driver of live viewership and bargaining power, but the distribution strategy for major properties is shifting.

Sports, streaming and viewer habits

Sports rights and where games appear are central to the networks’ leverage. Fox Sports, for example, airs most of its MLB playoff games on FS1, indicating a shift in strategy from traditional broadcast methods. Meanwhile, insiders discuss the significance of ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” potentially moving from ESPN next season despite no formal announcement.

ABC signage was prominently displayed during a national TV broadcast of a Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers game on April 23, 2022, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. This example underscores how network branding still appears in major live sports telecasts even as distribution channels evolve.

The report highlights an evolution in viewer habits changing away from traditional broadcasting toward cable and streaming platforms. Many viewers now follow sports and news through apps and streaming services, reducing reliance on over-the-air affiliates and changing the balance of power between networks and local station groups.

Local market notes and implications

The Boston market’s radio landscape shows the dominance of 98.5 The Sports Hub and significant changes in listener preferences regarding sports talk shows. Local audio and digital outlets are part of the broader ecosystem that shapes how sports content is consumed and monetized in specific markets.

ABC’s decreasing influence is partially due to external forces like affiliate programming and regulatory pressures from the FCC. The standoff between networks, affiliates, and the FCC suggests potential risks for future broadcast sports programming and for how networks approach live content moving forward.

What to watch next

Industry observers will monitor whether affiliates formally preempt additional network programming, whether the FCC’s posture changes, and whether major station owners like Nexstar succeed in lobbying for ownership-rule changes. How networks allocate sports rights between broadcast and streaming platforms will also shape their negotiating leverage with affiliates.

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• NBC Sports Boston: All-Female Broadcast for Celtics vs. Nets
• Boston.com: The Sports Hub Dominates Nielsen Winter Ratings
• CLNS Media: Greg Bedard on Boston Sports Radio
• MassLive: Boston Radio Host Airlifted to Hospital
• Wikipedia: Boston

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