Disney Trumpets Jimmy Kimmel Return Ratings, But The Show’s Long-Term Decline Tells A Different Story

Disney quickly announced that *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* made a strong return, attracting 6.3 million viewers for its first show after being off the air. ABC leaders hoped this number would prove that Kimmel remains a popular and important figure.

These ratings look good, especially considering that two large broadcasting companies, Nexstar and Sinclair, are still refusing to air Kimmel’s show in many areas. Disney is emphasizing that these numbers prove Kimmel is essential to late-night TV, even when his show isn’t available to viewers in numerous cities.

But the reality is more complicated, and far less flattering.

The Spike vs. the Slide

It’s common for shows to see a jump in viewers right after a big issue, like the one with Jimmy Kimmel. This initial boost is usually due to people being curious, news reports about the situation, and general public interest. The real test isn’t just getting people to watch the first episode, but whether they continue to tune in regularly.

However, recent data tells a different story. According to Nielsen ratings for 2025, Jimmy Kimmel’s show has been steadily losing viewers throughout the year.

January 2025: 1.95 million viewers (0.61 rating)
March 2025: 1.74 million (0.55 rating)
June 2025: 1.77 million (0.56 rating)
July 2025: 1.23 million (0.39 rating)
August 2025: 1.10 million (0.35 rating)

Viewership dropped a dramatic 43% in under eight months. Even his core audience of adults aged 18 to 49 decreased significantly, falling from 212,000 in January to only 129,000 by August.

The chart clearly shows that interest in Kimmel’s show dropped sharply in mid-summer, falling from a steady 1.7 to 1.9 million viewers and never bouncing back.

Why Affiliates Still Refuse to Carry Him

Disney’s attempt to pressure its partners into reinstating the show likely won’t succeed with only 6.3 million viewers tuning in. Both Sinclair and Nexstar have clarified that their problem isn’t with Jimmy Kimmel’s popularity, but with the content of his show. Nexstar recently stated they’ll continue to skip the show until they’re confident it will offer respectful and productive conversation for viewers in their varied local communities.

TV stations’ local affiliates generally avoid highly opinionated or controversial content that could upset viewers. While switching from a show like Kimmel to game shows or local news might not be exciting, it helps stations avoid losing advertisers and facing complaints to the FCC.

Disney is avoiding a fundamental problem: even with promotion from ABC, Jimmy Kimmel’s audience will always be limited as long as local stations refuse to broadcast his show.

Fiduciary Duty in Reverse

Okay, so this is a weird one. Some Disney investors were actually upset that Disney *paused* Kimmel’s show earlier, claiming they weren’t acting in the best interests of the company. But honestly, as a movie and TV fan, it feels like the bigger problem now is bringing him back. It’s like they’re making the wrong move *now*, and that could be the real issue with how they’re handling things.

The numbers reveal a late-night host is rapidly losing viewers – nearly half in under a year – and remains unavailable in many areas. From a business standpoint, continuing to invest in something that’s clearly failing isn’t responsible financial practice; it’s simply sticking with a losing bet.

The Broader Late-Night Collapse

Jimmy Kimmel’s show isn’t the only late-night program struggling. Shows like NBC’s *Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon* and CBS’s *Late Show with Stephen Colbert* (which has already been canceled) have been losing viewers for a while now. The rise of streaming, short-form videos on platforms like TikTok, and the ability to watch comedy on demand have all contributed to the decline of traditional nightly talk shows.

Jimmy Kimmel’s situation is particularly difficult. Unlike Fallon and Colbert, he’s not only seeing fewer viewers, but his show is also being dropped by some stations. This puts him at a significant disadvantage, as they still have the support of their network affiliates.

A Manufactured “Win”

Disney is heavily promoting the high ratings from Kimmel’s single night back because they anticipate viewership will decline significantly in the coming weeks. Ratings are expected to fall back to pre-suspension levels, and may even drop further due to the ongoing dispute with cable and streaming providers.

Disney is trying to highlight Jimmy Kimmel’s return with a lot of initial publicity to make it seem positive. However, they’re avoiding discussion of the show’s continuing downward trend in viewership.

The Real Takeaway

It’s becoming clear to those watching the numbers – investors, partners, and viewers alike – that *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* is losing its popularity. While Disney might point to 6.3 million viewers as evidence the show is still important, the actual data tells a different story.

The real question is: if almost half of your viewers left in 2025, why would they return now?

2025-09-25 18:21