Why CBS Pulled the Plug on Colbert's Late-Night Show

From Midnight TV to Morning YouTube

For decades, late-night TV has been a staple of American entertainment. Shows like The Tonight Show, The Late Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! were essential for celebrities to promote their projects. Colbert’s Late Show continued this tradition from 2015, becoming known for its political satire and a more serious approach to current affairs. But as younger audiences began moving away from traditional TV, a noticeable shift started.

Now, platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and podcasts have become the preferred spaces for celebrity interviews, offering a shift from traditional late-night formats. Shows like Hot Ones, where stars face increasingly spicy chicken wings while being quizzed, and Chicken Shop Date, a cheeky British YouTube series where host Amelia Dimz flirts with celebrities over fast food, have skyrocketed in popularity. These shows, which routinely rack up millions of views per episode, offer a more personal, unscripted experience that feels spontaneous and relatable. Unlike the polished and scripted tone of late-night interviews, these newer formats allow celebrities to be more natural, giving fans an authentic, behind-the-scenes glimpse into their personalities.

Declining Viewership & Monetization Struggles

While Colbert’s Late Show still held a strong position in late-night ratings, the show had been seeing a steady decline in viewership. Once boasting over 3 million nightly viewers in its prime, the show’s audience dropped to around 1.9 million in recent years. As viewers shifted to watching highlights on YouTube, Colbert’s team took advantage of the platform, uploading viral clips to boost engagement and monetize content. But even with this digital strategy, it wasn’t enough to reverse the show’s decline.

Despite CBS pushing clips online and making money from YouTube ads, the full traditional late-night format couldn't hold the audience's attention. With people opting for shorter, more digestible content rather than sitting through an entire hour-long broadcast, CBS faced the reality that The Late Show wasn’t generating the same returns it once did. The show’s ratings continued to fall, and advertisers grew wary, as digital clips didn’t match the revenue from live viewership and longer commercials.

Political Pressure From Trump

The cancellation of The Late Show came amid ongoing political tensions, particularly between Colbert and former President Donald Trump. Colbert, known for his biting political commentary, was a fierce critic of Trump throughout his presidency, frequently mocking his policies, behavior, and controversial decisions. This opposition became a hallmark of Colbert’s show, shaping much of its tone and direction. However, this stance also led to a growing polarization, as Colbert’s sharp critiques of Trump’s administration increasingly alienated viewers who aligned with the former president’s political views.

Trump’s reaction to Colbert’s frequent jabs was predictable: on his Truth Social platform, he gloated over the news of Colbert’s cancellation, writing, “I absolutely love that Colbert was fired. What a win!” He added that his criticism of Colbert was a sign of his influence, boasting that the late-night host was "finally" gone due to his ongoing opposition. Some industry insiders speculated that the show’s cancellation might have been influenced by Trump’s polarizing presence in public discourse, especially with his return to the White House in 2025. Colbert's sharp political stance, which frequently clashed with Trump’s rhetoric, could have intensified the divide, making the show more contentious. Despite CBS officials’ claims that the decision was driven solely by financial pressures, the timing of the cancellation, coming so soon after Colbert’s latest critique of Trump’s legal battles, raised suspicions about whether political influence played a role in the decision.

What Is the Future of Late-Night TV?

With Colbert’s departure, it’s clear that the landscape of late-night television is changing. While Colbert’s show was still a ratings leader, the format itself could no longer compete with digital-first interview shows that cater to younger, more mobile-focused audiences. The Late Show’s move to YouTube and other platforms was a reaction to this shift, but it wasn’t enough to stop the inevitable decline. In a world where people can catch a clip of Colbert’s monologue the next day on their phone, the traditional model of sitting through a 60-minute late-night show feels increasingly outdated.

The cancellation of The Late Show may be a sign that traditional late-night programming is reaching the end of its cycle. As television networks, including CBS, reconsider their late-night offerings, we could see more shows shifting away from the conventional format. Networks may move toward more reality-based programming, reruns, or cheaper alternatives. It’s possible that in the future, late-night content will thrive on streaming platforms, where shows can be more flexible, shorter, and more in tune with current viewing habits.