"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" drew more than 6 million viewers in its return to the airwaves Tuesday night following a six-day suspension by Disney over his comments about Charlie Kirk.
Why it matters: Kimmel's return was expected to draw a large audience, but 6.2 million is especially impressive given that the program was not available to roughly 25% of ABC affiliates across the country.
- For context, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" averaged over 1 million viewers per episode last season.
Between the lines: Earlier this week, Nexstar and Sinclair — two of the largest local broadcast affiliates in the country — said they would continue to preempt Kimmel's program, despite Disney, the parent to ABC, bringing him back.
- The two broadcast groups collectively distribute ABC across more than 60 stations.
- On Wednesday, Nexstar said it's "continuing to evaluate the status of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on our ABC-affiliated local television stations, and the show will be preempted while we do so."
- It added: "We are engaged in productive discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company, with a focus on ensuring the program reflects and respects the diverse interests of the communities we serve."
Zoom out: Those who couldn't watch Kimmel's return show live flocked to YouTube in droves.
- Kimmel's return monologue drew over 17 million views on YouTube in less than 24 hours.
What to watch: Whether Kimmel's big numbers continue over the next few days and weeks, and whether increased viewership pushes Nexstar and Sinclair to reconsider preempting the program.
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