In a general sense, the networks are more in the driver’s seat than the affiliates are. The affiliates don’t amount to much without the networks’ staple programming, and networks could always choose to go with other affiliates. But clearly ABC could lose a solid chunk of viewership over all this (viewership is down across the board already anyway). On the flip side, there are loads of people within those markets who will side with Kimmel and scream about “free speech” and maybe even abandon their affiliate to watch Kimmel on Hulu (instead of Family Feud or whatever replaces it), etc. Best on both sides to kiss and make up.
