Lecturers at the Faculty of Communication Sciences of UIC Barcelona, Isadora García Avis and Elena Neira, have published an article in The Conversation in which they reflect on the future of late-night programmes following the departure of Stephen Colbert, bringing to a close a period of more than three decades of The Late Show, one of the most influential programmes in US late-night television. For the authors, this departure raises an important question: Do late-night programmes still play the same cultural and media role as they once did?

The article explores the changes this television genre is undergoing, traditionally linked to entertainment and current affairs. Although the cancellation of Colbert’s programme has been officially presented by CBS as a “purely economic decision”, the authors argue that the situation reflects a more complex reality, shaped by shifting audiovisual consumption habits, the emergence of new digital platforms, and the tensions currently affecting the US media landscape.

The authors highlight that the late-night format emerged in the early days of modern television and, for decades, played a central role in public discourse. However, the arrival of streaming and platforms such as YouTube has transformed how audiences engage with this content. As they explain, many viewers no longer watch programmes live, instead accessing highlights and selected segments through social media and digital platforms.

Isadora García Avis and Elena Neira, experts in the study of television formats and audiovisual distribution, point out that the US audience measurement model “belongs to the twentieth century”. The authors cite a comment by Jimmy Kimmel, a leading presenter, who maintains that more people than ever consume late-night content: “The audience is still coming to us, though in a different way”, referring to digital consumption on platforms such as YouTube, which accumulate millions of views and continue to exert considerable influence on public debate.

Political intervention in television content

The current political context in the United States is also significantly affecting the media. According to the authors, both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and President Donald Trump are exerting clear “political pressure” on networks such as CBS and ABC in an effort to influence broadcast content. Consequently, audience ratings are not the sole factor considered by television networks when making programming decisions, as their commercial interests are also affected by the government’s significant political intervention. 

Drawing on the case of Stephen Colbert, the lecturers at UIC Barcelona propose a broader reflection on the future of television and the professional repositioning of some of these presenters, who are already part of television history and continue to act as influential voices in public life.