The indefinite suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, which has been a staple on ABC for more than two decades, may have both short and long-term effects on the network’s advertising revenue.
Pulled from the air on Wednesday, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has aired since 2003, first at 12:05am, and moving to 11:35 pm, putting it in direct competition with Jay Leno and David Letterman. It has been a reliable platform for brands seeking exposure. With the show sidelined, advertisers may seek cheaper rates or placement elsewhere.
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“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” brought in close to $70 million in ad revenue for ABC year-to-date. Additionally, about 12% of the show’s ad slots were used by ABC to promote its own programming, Business Insider reported, citing ad measurement company iSpot.
The show reportedly carried advertising from more than 200 different brands, with the top spenders including Allstate, McDonald’s and Starbucks, according to iSpot.
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This year, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has also run ads for Kit Kat, Venmo, JCPenney, Smirnoff, Instacart and AT&T, according to news outlet LateNighter.
Spending on late-night programming across ABC, CBS, and NBC fell to $221 million in 2024, a sharp decrease from $439 million in 2018, Business Insider reported, citing Guideline, a firm that tracks media-buying data.
However, even with that decline, shows such as “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” continued to carry cultural weight and have functioned as valuable branding platforms for both networks and advertisers, according to Business Insider.
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Disney senior leadership opted to remove “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from the air after the host’s comments regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The decision was made by Disney CEO Bob Iger together with Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden, resulting in the late-night program being suspended indefinitely, sources told FOX Business on Thursday.
On Wednesday night, ABC filled the vacated late-night slot of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” with a rerun of Celebrity Family Feud, according to the New York Post.
ABC did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.
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