Disney wasted no time blasting out the news: Jimmy Kimmel Live! came back with a ratings bang, drawing 6.3 million viewers for its first episode after suspension. To ABC executives, that number was supposed to send a message — Kimmel still matters. On the surface, it’s an impressive total, especially given the fact that major affiliate groups Nexstar and Sinclair continue to preempt his show. Disney’s talking point is clear: if Kimmel can post these numbers while blacked out in dozens of markets, then he must be indispensable to late-night television.
But the reality is more complicated, and far less flattering.
