Particle.news
Download on the App Store
75 ARTICLES
·
58m ago

Kimmel Back on All Stations as Disney Faces Reported 1.7 Million Streaming Cancellations

Shareholders are pressing Disney for transparency over the suspension after public threats by the FCC chair prompted affiliate blackouts.

Image
Image
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr speaks during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2025 Global Aerospace Summit in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 9, 2025. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon/File Photo
A photo illustration of Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States Brendan Carr and a rowdy crowd.

Overview

  • ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Sept. 17 and returned it to air on Sept. 23, with Nexstar and Sinclair ending their preemptions later that week.
  • The comeback episode reached about 6.3 million viewers before settling near 2.3 million by Thursday, which remained higher than recent averages.
  • Journalist Marisa Kabas reported a Disney source counted more than 1.7 million cancellations across Disney+, Hulu and ESPN between Sept. 17 and 23, a figure the company has not confirmed.
  • Vice President JD Vance downplayed FCC involvement and blamed ratings for the blackout; Kimmel rebutted on air that the show is now carried nationwide and called that account a “fairytale.”
  • Investor representatives sent CEO Bob Iger a letter seeking board records on the suspension decision, citing FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s warnings and the temporary affiliate boycotts.