ABC Decision on Jimmy Kimmel Follows Ratings Drop

Jimmy Kimmel Live Ratings: Did They Really Drop Before ABC’s Decision?.ABC suspended “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” this week. The decision followed controversial remarks by the host. The move has ignited a fierce debate about the show’s performance.Former President Donald Trump claimed the show was “ratings challenged.” Data from Nielsen Media Research provides a clearer picture of the show’s actual viewership before the suspension.

Latest Nielsen Ratings Show Mixed Results for Kimmel

Nielsen tracks television viewership across all major networks. Their data is the industry standard for measuring audience size. The latest reports show a complex story for late-night television.Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” on CBS remained the overall leader. It averaged 2.812 million total viewers in a recent September report. This still represented a slight decline from previous months.NBC’s “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” saw a significant surge. Its viewership jumped 17% to 1.330 million. This placed it firmly in second place among the major networks.”Jimmy Kimmel Live!” experienced an 11% drop in that same period. It fell to 1.104 million total viewers. This positioned it as the third most-watched late-night program.

Kimmel Previously Led Key Demographic Earlier in 2025

The full-year view tells a different story. Earlier data from 2025 showed Kimmel’s strength. His performance in the key advertiser demographic was particularly strong.In the second quarter, Kimmel led the coveted adults 18-49 demographic. He secured 220,000 viewers in that category. This marked his best demo performance in a full year.Colbert was a very close second with 219,000 demo viewers. Fallon trailed significantly behind with just 157,000. According to Reuters, demographic leadership is crucial for advertising revenue.This historical strength makes ABC’s decision more surprising to industry analysts. The suspension appears driven by external pressure, not purely by a ratings collapse.

Controversial Comments Trigger Network Action

The suspension stemmed from Kimmel’s on-air monologue. He discussed the recent death of political commentator Charlie Kirk. His comments sparked immediate and widespread backlash.The controversy grew rapidly online. It even prompted a response from an FTC chairman. The chairman publicly called for Kimmel’s dismissal from the network.Initial action came from a Texas-based ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar. The local station pulled Kimmel’s show from its broadcast schedule. ABC then announced an indefinite national suspension shortly after.This chain of events highlights the intense pressure networks face. Cultural and political statements can now directly impact programming decisions.

Busan Film Festival’s New Currents Section Celebrates 30th Anniversary

The recent Jimmy Kimmel ratings dip was part of a broader late-night shift. However, his earlier demo strength suggests his suspension was primarily a response to controversy, not a failing audience.

Info at your fingertips

Why was Jimmy Kimmel’s show suspended?

ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel following his comments about the death of Charlie Kirk. The remarks generated significant public backlash and calls for his dismissal from various figures.

What were Jimmy Kimmel’s latest ratings?

Recent Nielsen data showed a drop to 1.104 million total viewers. This placed him third behind Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon in overall audience size for that period.

Did Jimmy Kimmel have good ratings before this?

Yes, earlier in 2025, Kimmel led the key adult 18-49 demographic. He outperformed both Colbert and Fallon in this crucial category for advertisers during the second quarter.

Who has the highest-rated late-night show now?

Stephen Colbert on CBS continues to hold the top spot in total viewers. His show averages over 2.8 million viewers, according to the latest Nielsen reports.

What did Donald Trump say about the cancellation?

Donald Trump called the show “ratings challenged” in a Truth Social post. He congratulated ABC for having the “courage to do what had to be done.”