EPISODE · Jul 25, 2025 · 21 MIN
What Killed 'The Late Show'?
from The Journal. · host The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios
Last week, CBS cancelled “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” The network said that ending the show was “purely a financial decision.” Over the years, late-night audiences and profits have dwindled. But some fans have suggested the move was partly political: CBS pulled the plug just days after Colbert criticized Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for agreeing to settle a lawsuit with President Trump for $16 million. WSJ’s Joe Flint delves into the controversy and the economics of late-night TV. Annie Minoff hosts. Further Listening: -Will Paramount Settle With Trump? -Why Buying Paramount Global Won't Be Easy -’Love Is Blind' Is Back. Not All the Drama Is On-Screen. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
Last week, CBS cancelled “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” The network said that ending the show was “purely a financial decision.” Over the years, late-night audiences and profits have dwindled. But some fans have suggested the move was partly political: CBS pulled the plug just days after Colbert criticized Paramount, CBS’s parent company, for agreeing to settle a lawsuit with President Trump for $16 million. WSJ’s Joe Flint delves into the controversy and the economics of late-night TV. Annie Minoff hosts. Further Listening: -Will Paramount Settle With Trump? -Why Buying Paramount Global Won't Be Easy -’Love Is Blind' Is Back. Not All the Drama Is On-Screen. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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What Killed 'The Late Show'?
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