CBS announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be coming to an end, and while the network insists the decision is strictly financial, many believe politics played a major role.
The announcement came just days after CBS parent company Paramount Global reached a settlement with Donald Trump. Trump had sued CBS, accusing the network of editing an interview to make Vice President Kamala Harris look better. Media watchdogs called the lawsuit frivolous, warning that settling with Trump could encourage more attacks on journalists.
Some Democratic lawmakers have gone further, accusing Paramount of cutting a deal with Trump to help smooth the way for its multi-billion-dollar merger with Skydance Media.
Colbert himself hasn’t held back. On his show, he joked, “I don’t know if anything will repair my trust in this company, but I’d say $16 million would help.” Days later, he confirmed to his audience that The Late Show would officially end, telling viewers, “I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”
The audience responded with loud boos as Colbert, who has hosted since 2015, closed the chapter on a late-night institution that first aired in 1993.
CBS has not announced any replacement for the late-night slot.
