CBS Cancels The Late Show

[Town Drunk]

This might be the start of the end of late night? I can’t remember the last time I watched any late night programming.

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/stephen-colberts-late-night-show-cbs-end-may-2026-2025-07-17/

 

[oaken1]

It's about time. Been crap for at least fifteen years.

 

[Adrian]

About time.

 

[Rivercard]

It's about time. Been crap for at least fifteen years.

What do you want in it's place? What will be more entertaining at 11:30?

 

[Rivercard]

This might be the start of the end of late night? I can’t remember the last time I watched any late night programming.

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/stephen-colberts-late-night-show-cbs-end-may-2026-2025-07-17/

Probably can't get too deep into politics in the forum, but I smell a rat. How often do you see the top rated show in a very competitive time slot get cancelled? About as often as a network pays a massive settlement to a President perhaps?

Here Are Final Late Night Ratings for Q4 2024​

While The Late Show with Stephen Colbert once again took the top spot at 11:35pm, it faced much stiffer competition from Jimmy Kimmel Live! the last three months of the year, thanks in no small part to several highly rated post-Monday Night Football games. The ABC late-night show posted the largest gains of the quarter, increasing its audience by a whopping +42% among total viewers, and +33% among viewers in the key 18-49 demo.

Colbert also saw gains for the quarter, albeit more modest than Kimmel’s, with the CBS host posting an increase of nearly +4% among total viewers and +6% in the demo. Q4 ended up being a mixed bag for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, with total viewers up nearly +2% and younger viewers down -4%.

Here Are Final Late Night Ratings for Q4 2024 - LateNighter

Seasonality, the election, and the NFL each contributed to a mostly positive fourth quarter for late night, as most of the major players picked up viewers following the traditional summer slump.

latenighter.com

 

[oaken1]

What do you want in it's place? What will be more entertaining at 11:30?

Mash reruns?

 

[Rivercard]

Mash reruns?

Lol. That is available all over cable. Good luck with ratings.

I love Mash BTW.

 

[Russ Smith]

I guess the rumor is Colbert might do a podcast.

 

[Mainstreet]

I guess the rumor is Colbert might do a podcast.

I don't keep up with television, especially late night television, but it would seem like another network would pick him up.

 

[Russ Smith]

I don't keep up with television, especially late night television, but it would seem like another network would pick him up.

I don't know but my understanding is the rumor is Colbert told them he wanted out and that's why they're cancelling the show. So he may not want to do late night anymore.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't know but my understanding is the rumor is Colbert told them he wanted out and that's why they're cancelling the show. So he may not want to do late night anymore.

I didn't hear this version. A lot of political takes on this, so I will bow out.

 

[Town Drunk]

Probably can't get too deep into politics in the forum, but I smell a rat. How often do you see the top rated show in a very competitive time slot get cancelled? About as often as a network pays a massive settlement to a President perhaps?

Here Are Final Late Night Ratings for Q4 2024​

While The Late Show with Stephen Colbert once again took the top spot at 11:35pm, it faced much stiffer competition from Jimmy Kimmel Live! the last three months of the year, thanks in no small part to several highly rated post-Monday Night Football games. The ABC late-night show posted the largest gains of the quarter, increasing its audience by a whopping +42% among total viewers, and +33% among viewers in the key 18-49 demo.

Colbert also saw gains for the quarter, albeit more modest than Kimmel’s, with the CBS host posting an increase of nearly +4% among total viewers and +6% in the demo. Q4 ended up being a mixed bag for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, with total viewers up nearly +2% and younger viewers down -4%.

Here Are Final Late Night Ratings for Q4 2024 - LateNighter

Seasonality, the election, and the NFL each contributed to a mostly positive fourth quarter for late night, as most of the major players picked up viewers following the traditional summer slump.

latenighter.com

100%. I think the reasons for the cancellation are pretty obvious. The question is does it now happen to the other late night shows, based on certain pressures and comments. Trying not to go in to the politics as much.

 

[Russ Smith]

I didn't hear this version. A lot of political takes on this, so I will bow out.

I would just say read The Hill's story on the cancellation. It implies in there that he told them he wasn't happy.

 

[Rivercard]

I didn't hear this version. A lot of political takes on this, so I will bow out.

If we have to bow out rather than have an honest discussion this whole site is worthless.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

Late night talk shows kind of feel like print media these days. I will watch the monologues and the music acts online in snippets but that is about it.

 

[Town Drunk]

Late night talk shows kind of feel like print media these days. I will watch the monologues and the music acts online in snippets but that is about it.

Ditto. I think late night is dying.

 

[Dan H]

Ditto. I think late night is dying.

Yes.

Great ratings are moot when your audience is shrinking.

From CNN:


The bottom has indeed been falling out of the late-night TV business model for several years now. Audience fragmentation and digital competition have led to a decline in ad revenue across the board. One insider described it as “cratering” at CBS.

That’s because, even though Colbert outrated his competition at 11:35 p.m., the overall audience for late-night has been shrinking.

“Ad dollars and audiences are moving away from late night shows,” Variety reported — and that was back in 2023.

The financial picture has only gotten gloomier since then. Guideline, an ad data firm, estimates that the networks’ late-night shows earned $439 million in ad revenue in 2018 and only $220 million in 2024 — a decline of 50 percent.

The shows hosted by Colbert and his rivals, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, are inherently expensive to produce, with hundreds of staffers and elaborate studio productions.

 

[gimpy]

Late night? My late night was maybe staying up to watch Johnny Carson's monologue. Haven't watched anything similar in decades.

 

[gimpy]

Well, maybe the guy that took his place, the big jawed guy. He was funny. Can't think of his name now.

 

[Dan H]

Well, maybe the guy that took his place, the big jawed guy. He was funny. Can't think of his name now.

Leno?

 

[Russ Smith]

Ditto. I think late night is dying.

I suspect it is too but then I'm biased because I'm now too old to stay up that late !

I'm also one who only sees snippets. Same with SNL.

 

[Russ Smith]

Yes.

Great ratings are moot when your audience is shrinking.

From CNN:


The bottom has indeed been falling out of the late-night TV business model for several years now. Audience fragmentation and digital competition have led to a decline in ad revenue across the board. One insider described it as “cratering” at CBS.

That’s because, even though Colbert outrated his competition at 11:35 p.m., the overall audience for late-night has been shrinking.

“Ad dollars and audiences are moving away from late night shows,” Variety reported — and that was back in 2023.

The financial picture has only gotten gloomier since then. Guideline, an ad data firm, estimates that the networks’ late-night shows earned $439 million in ad revenue in 2018 and only $220 million in 2024 — a decline of 50 percent.

The shows hosted by Colbert and his rivals, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, are inherently expensive to produce, with hundreds of staffers and elaborate studio productions.

Wow I had no idea they were expensive to produce I assumed the main expense was just the salaries.

 

[oaken1]

Well, maybe the guy that took his place, the big jawed guy. He was funny. Can't think of his name now.

Jay Leno...he was funny. But an acquired taste for many I think.

 

[oaken1]

I suspect it is too but then I'm biased because I'm now too old to stay up that late !

I'm also one who only sees snippets. Same with SNL.

lol...my mom is 81...and these days "Late Night TV" is "early morning TV" for her.

 

[FB94]

Haven’t watched any late night or SNL in many years. Not a big deal for me.