Fox News Channel’s late-night show is most-watched as Jimmy Kimmel Live! loses massive viewership one day after its highly-rated return following Sinclair-led protest over Charlie Kirk comments.
The controversy surrounding the brief preemption of Jimmy Kimmel Live! by Sinclair Broadcast Group’s ABC affiliates has taken a dramatic turn in the ratings war, as audience numbers for the late-night show plummeted just one day after its high-profile return.
Following its return to air on Tuesday, September 24th, after being pulled by Sinclair over remarks Kimmel made concerning the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the initial broadcast drew a massive, record audience.
However, on Wednesday, September 25th, the audience for Jimmy Kimmel Live! shed a staggering 62% in total viewers and 70% in the key age 25-54 demographic.
Meanwhile, FOX News Channel’s late-night program, Gutfeld!, continued its dominance, reigning as the most-watched program in all of late-night.
The show, hosted by Greg Gutfeld, drew an audience of 3,233,000 on Wednesday, outpacing the competition:
- Gutfeld! (FNC): 3,233,000
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC): 2,414,000
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS): 1,988,000
- The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC): 1,244,000
The Tuesday return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! followed a contentious week. Sinclair, the nation’s largest ABC affiliate group, had initially indefinitely preempted the program, citing Mr. Kimmel’s remarks as “inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country.”
“We believe broadcasters have a responsibility to educate and elevate respectful, constructive dialogue in our communities,” said Vice Chairman Jason Smith in an earlier statement, while also calling for Kimmel to issue an apology and make a donation to the Kirk family.
Sinclair then reversed its decision, saying on Friday that it would immediately return the show to its ABC stations. “Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience,” the company said.
The network clash and the ensuing ratings surge for Kimmel’s return, followed by the immediate drop, underscore the highly charged political atmosphere in late-night television.
For the year so far, Gutfeld!, which launched in 2021, has maintained an audience of 3.2 million viewers, consistently outpacing all broadcast and late-night competition, including Colbert, Kimmel, and Fallon. Fox News data also positions Gutfeld! as having the most affluent and politically balanced audience in its timeslot.
READ: Fox News’ Gregg Jarrett Calls Jimmy Kimmel “Craven And Cowardly”
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