CBS boss George Cheeks explains canceling Stephen Colbert's show
What's the story
George Cheeks, Chair of TV Media at CBS, has finally addressed the network's decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Speaking at a press conference after Skydance's deal to take over Paramount became official, he cited "significant secular decline" in the advertising marketplace as a major challenge for late-night shows. "We are huge fans of (Stephen Colbert)...the economics made it a challenge for us to keep going," he said.
Contract changes
Crew contract negotiations also influenced decision
Cheeks further explained that the decision to cancel The Late Show was also influenced by upcoming contract negotiations for crew members, including writers and producers. "We were at a period from a production standpoint where every year seasonally, this is [when] we negotiate new deals for writers and producers," he said. He added that this would be Colbert's third season of his three-year deal, requiring changes in traditional contract terms.
Future plans
What will replace 'The Late Show'
When asked what would replace The Late Show, Cheeks said it was "too early to speculate." He didn't confirm if Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, a syndicated show that has taken After Midnight's slot, would move into the 11:30pm slot. However, he did admit that The Late Show was losing "tens of millions of dollars."
Political reaction
Trump slams Colbert after show cancellation
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump didn't hold back in criticizing Colbert after CBS announced the show's cancellation. For context, Colbert regularly slammed Trump. On Trump's Truth Social, he called Colbert "talentless" and predicted that other late-night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon would soon lose their shows, too. CBS, however, maintained that the cancellation was purely a financial decision and not related to the show's content.