preempt

This is despite being preempted in 23% of U.S. households, in markets where ABC affiliates are owned by Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Media Group, station chains that persist in refusing to air the show.

Shortly before Disney announced Kimmel’s initial suspension, TV station groups Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group each said they would preempt the show and have said they will not bring it back.

There are only so many times a network affiliate like Sinclair can preempt a network show.

Two major owners of ABC affiliates dropped the show, after which ABC said it would be “preempted indefinitely.”

The late-night program has been dark since Wednesday, when the Disney-owned ABC network announced in a terse statement that it will be “preempted indefinitely.”