Nexstar owns ABC-affiliated stations in a limited but important set of U.S. markets, mostly as local ABC affiliates rather than owning the ABC network itself.

Quick Scoop: Where Nexstar Owns ABC Stations

Nexstar is a giant local‑TV owner, with more than 200 stations across 100+ markets, but only some of those are ABC affiliates. These ABC stations are scattered rather than clustered, often in mid‑size cities where Nexstar has built strong local news brands.

Commonly cited ABC (or primarily ABC) Nexstar markets in recent coverage include:

  • Nashville, Tennessee – a major “country music capital” market with a high‑profile ABC affiliate.
  • New Orleans, Louisiana – a key Gulf Coast city where storm coverage and politics make the ABC station especially influential.
  • Salt Lake City, Utah – a fast‑growing Western market with a politically and culturally distinct audience.
  • Several smaller and mid‑size markets noted in forum and news discussions as “important” ABC markets for Nexstar’s portfolio.

Because Nexstar has over 200 stations and ownership structures (direct ownership vs. shared services agreements) can be complex, the full list of ABC affiliates they own or operate is best checked against their current corporate asset lists or industry trade updates. Media reporters and forums have recently highlighted this group of ABC markets in the context of controversies (for example, statements involving “Jimmy Kimmel” and broader political disputes around ABC programming), which is why these specific cities keep getting named in 2025–2026 news and forum posts.

Handy overview in table form

Here’s a simplified view reflecting how this is usually discussed publicly (cities, not specific call letters), based on recent coverage and forum chatter, not an official exhaustive engineering list:

[3][5] [5][3] [3][5] [5][3] [3][5] [10][5][3] [5][3] [3][5] [10][5][3] [9][5][3] [9][5][3] [9][10]
City / Market Role in Nexstar’s ABC footprint Why it gets mentioned in latest news
Nashville, TennesseeKey ABC affiliate market in Nexstar’s portfolio.Prominent Southern market; cited in stories about Nexstar’s influence and ABC‑related disputes.
New Orleans, LouisianaABC affiliate serving a high‑news, high‑weather‑risk region under Nexstar.Named in coverage about affiliate statements and corporate reactions to ABC programming.
Salt Lake City, UtahWestern ABC market within Nexstar’s group of affiliates.Highlighted when reporters talk about Nexstar’s reach into politically diverse regions.
Other mid‑size marketsNon‑exhaustive cluster of additional ABC affiliates owned/operated by Nexstar.Mentioned in forums and local pieces, usually around advertiser pressure or political content debates.

Why it’s a trending topic

In late 2025 and into 2026, Nexstar’s ABC stations keep coming up in stories about:

  • Public statements or pushback around ABC late‑night programming and political commentary.
  • Concerns that large affiliate groups like Nexstar and Sinclair can shape what local viewers see, even though ABC itself is a separate network.
  • Forum campaigns discussing advertiser boycotts or pressure, where users trade lists of “which ABC markets are Nexstar vs. Sinclair.”

A typical forum post will look something like:

“Here’s a non‑exhaustive list of Sinclair and Nexstar’s most important ABC markets…”

People share those lists not because they’re perfect engineering rosters, but because they want to know where local leverage over ABC programming might be applied—through viewers, advertisers, or community feedback.

If you want the fully up‑to‑date, precise list

Because ownership and affiliations can change with deals (like Nexstar’s long‑running interest in more local stations and large acquisitions) and FCC approvals, the safest way to get a complete and current list of where Nexstar owns or operates ABC stations is to:

  1. Check Nexstar’s latest published “assets” or station list and filter by network = ABC.
  1. Cross‑check a given station’s “Ownership” or “About” page to confirm Nexstar is the owner/operating group.
  2. Look at recent industry pieces any time a big deal (like a major station group buy) is in the news, since affiliations or control relationships may shift.

Bottom line: Nexstar doesn’t own ABC the network; it owns a patchwork of local ABC affiliates in major and mid‑size markets like Nashville, New Orleans, and Salt Lake City, plus a string of smaller markets, and those stations together give it significant local leverage over what ABC viewers see in those places.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.