Byron Allen to replace Colbert
Clearly CBS has zero interest in creating content for that time slot. What a snooze.
jamie said:
but, I really thought he'd be picked up buy another channel -
Colbert’s show loses money …
yahooyahoo said:
Clearly CBS has zero interest in creating content for that time slot. What a snooze.
… and Allen is paying CBS to carry his programs.
DaveSchmidt said:
Colbert’s show loses money …
An anonymous source "leaked" this as Skydance was trying to get approval to purchase Paramount (owner of CBS).
No one from CBS has gone on the record to verify this claim. Everyone cites the anonymous source.
yahooyahoo said:
DaveSchmidt said:
Colbert’s show loses money …
An anonymous source "leaked" this as Skydance was trying to get approval to purchase Paramount (owner of CBS).
No one from CBS has gone on the record to verify this claim. Everyone cites the anonymous source.
Puck cited multiple sources when it first reported the losses. The Wall Street Journal confirmed it with a source. The Times confirmed it with two sources. Colbert himself has never disputed it.
DaveSchmidt said:
yahooyahoo said:
DaveSchmidt said:
Colbert’s show loses money …
An anonymous source "leaked" this as Skydance was trying to get approval to purchase Paramount (owner of CBS).
No one from CBS has gone on the record to verify this claim. Everyone cites the anonymous source.
Puck cited multiple sources when it first reported the losses. The Wall Street Journal confirmed it with a source. The Times confirmed it with two sources. Colbert himself has never disputed it.
Here is the quote from the NY Times. Hard hitting journalism.
“The Late Show” began losing money at least three years ago, two people familiar with the finances said.
Wall Street Journal used the anonymous source that no one has ever verified.
Not a single publication has verified the claim that Colbert is losing $40 million a year or offered a different number that can be verified.
Is Colbert losing money? It's very possible. However, not one single publication has offered a verifiable number.
yahooyahoo said:
Is Colbert losing money? It's very possible. However, not one single publication has offered a verifiable number.
I remain comfortable stating as a fact that the show loses money, which, in reply to jamie’s post, could be a reason that no other carrier stepped in.
Regardless whether there is money being lost I believe his show earns more than any other late night show. IOW all the shows are money losers but the networks know there is an audience and Colbert knows how popular his show is not just on CBS but on YouTube, etc.
wendy said:
Regardless whether there is money being lost I believe his show earns more than any other late night show.
Ad revenue from July 2024 to July 2025:
The Tonight Show — $80 million
The Late Show — $60 million
Jimmy Kimmel Live — $46 million
ETA: According to my math using the article’s figures, Colbert edged out Fallon over the 12 months before that, $61 million to $60 million.
DaveSchmidt said:
Ad revenue from July 2024 to July 2025:
The Tonight Show — $80 million
The Late Show — $60 million
Jimmy Kimmel Live — $46 million
ETA: According to my math using the article’s figures, Colbert edged out Fallon over the 12 months before that, $61 million to $60 million.
Maybe it was viewership then. I recall Colbert being in the lead by some calibration. But thanks
wendy said:
DaveSchmidt said:
Ad revenue from July 2024 to July 2025:
The Tonight Show — $80 million
The Late Show — $60 million
Jimmy Kimmel Live — $46 million
ETA: According to my math using the article’s figures, Colbert edged out Fallon over the 12 months before that, $61 million to $60 million.
Maybe it was viewership then. I recall Colbert being in the lead by some calibration. But thanks
Colbert leads the ratings in the 11:35 p.m. timeslot. Gutfield leads the 10 p.m. timeslot.
https://www.tvinsider.com/1253494/kimmel-gutfeld-colbert-seth-meyers-ratings-late-night/
Elsewhere, CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert continued to hold onto the top spot at 11:35 pm, averaging 2.40 million total viewers and 190,000 demo viewers. However, this was down 2 percent in total viewers compared to the week prior and down 13 percent in the key demo.
ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! held the second spot at the 11:35 pm hour with 2.17 million viewers (down 5 percent) and 228,000 demo viewers (down 13 percent).
NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon trailed in the 11:35 pm slot with 1.357 million total viewers and 197,000 demo viewers. However, it was the only 11:35 pm broadcast that did not show declines. The show was steady in total viewers and up 3 percent in the 18-49 demo.
I'm pretty sure the network didn't ask Colbert to try to cut costs before ending the show. It didn't seem like there was much of an effort to try to keep it on the air.
And the timing did look fishy, preceding the Paramount acquisition. They certainly could have waited to not renew the show until after. Unless of course they thought firing Colbert would ease the approval.
The only good thing about this looming cancellation deadline is the guests are even better than ever and the monologues are as well. And they were both great to begin with. The love and admiration coming from the folks who come on even when they have nothing to pitch is quite heart warming.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/06/media/cbs-colbert-byron-allen-late-show-comics-unleashed
Ugh - Comics Unleashed is just a bunch of comics serving up softball set ups to each other.
I see Colbert is set to write a few Tolkien movies - there's probably no one else more capable of this. but, I really thought he'd be picked up buy another channel - or maybe more protests as the date gets closer to keep him on .