Overview

• ABC restored Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Sept. 23 after “thoughtful conversations” with the host, but Nexstar and Sinclair stations continue to preempt the show in many markets, affecting roughly a quarter of U.S. TV households.
• Kimmel’s return drew 6.26 million viewers on linear TV, and his first monologue back has surpassed 21.7 million YouTube views, with Thursday’s monologue also drawing millions more online.
• On Thursday, Kimmel jokingly thanked President Donald Trump for the ratings boost and noted the program remains blacked out in dozens of cities; the show is slated to broadcast from Brooklyn next week.
• Investor groups, including lawyers for the American Federation of Teachers and Reporters Without Borders, demanded Disney produce internal records within five business days and threatened legal action if the company does not comply.
• The dispute continues over the FCC’s role and political pressure, with Democrats like Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Bernie Sanders criticizing the preemptions as censorship, while conservative commentators defend affiliates’ discretion.