CBS announced the end of its popular late-night program hosted by Stephen Colbert.

In the spring of 2015, on a May evening, one of America’s most splendid unofficial television ceremonies took place: David Letterman, the legendary late-night icon, after over three decades on screen, stepped down and passed the torch of The Late Show to a new-generation political comedian, Stephen Colbert.

For many, this transition was not only the end of an era but also the dawn of a new one in American political comedy and media.

What is The Late Show and Why Does It Matter?

Late-night talk shows are a cornerstone genre of American television. They blend conversation, music, performance, and, most crucially, humorous commentary on the day’s news.

CBS entered the late-night fray in 1993 with The Late Show, competing directly with NBC’s The Tonight Show. Initially hosted by David Letterman, whose distinctive wit, dry humour, and fearless style turned the program into a cultural touchstone of the 1990s and 2000s.

But Stephen Colbert breathed fresh life into the show. With his background in political satire, he sought to make the program more attuned to the pressing issues of society. This was no easy task, as it began at a time when deep societal divides in the United States were becoming increasingly visible, culminating in Donald Trump’s stunning and shocking victory over Hillary Clinton, laid bare for the world to see.

Who is Stephen Colbert? From Political Satirist to Media Conscience

Before taking the helm of The Late Show, Colbert was a beloved star of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where he played a fictional reporter who exaggerated conservative viewpoints to offer a mocking mirror of right-wing media.

In 2005, he launched The Colbert Report, a parody of Fox News and hosts like Bill O’Reilly, which became one of television’s boldest and most impactful examples of political satire. Through his “The Reverend Sir Dr. Stephen T. Mos Def Colbert D.F.A., Heavyweight Champion of the World” persona, he critiqued the Bush administration, the Iraq War, conservative policies, and mainstream media with razor-sharp wit and precision.

 He became a symbol of post-9/11 political comedy, a movement sparked by Jon Stewart that reshaped America’s conversational culture.

Colbert even testified before congressional committees, staying in character to address serious issues.

Colbert’s Place and Impact

Upon joining CBS in 2015, Colbert shed his fictional persona. He revealed his true self: an intelligent, well-read, witty man deeply engaged with political and social issues, and an unmatched authority on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (Peter Jackson once admitted he couldn’t compete with Colbert’s encyclopedic knowledge of Tolkien’s world).

Initially, he faced challenges retaining audiences and stepping into the shoes of a legend like Letterman. But with the 2016 election and the rise of Donald Trump, everything changed.

From his stage at the Ed Sullivan Theatre, Colbert became one of Trump’s most prominent critics on television. His direct critiques, biting humour, nightly monologues, and comedic takes on politics earned The Late Show with Stephen Colbert the top spot among late-night programs for nine seasons.

The War with Trump: From Jokes to Political Enmity

From the start of Trump’s campaign, Colbert targeted him with sharp, sometimes merciless humour, skewering his speeches, lies, conspiracy theories, and erratic persona. Especially during Trump’s early presidency, these critiques became a form of collective therapy for liberal viewers.

Trump didn’t stay silent. He repeatedly attacked Colbert on Twitter, calling him “untalented,” “corrupt,” and “a fool,” even demanding the show’s cancellation and threatening CBS with lawsuits for “hate-mongering.”

The Cancellation: A Quiet Announcement Amid a Storm

On July 17, 2025, at the end of an episode, Colbert addressed the audience: “Well, some news… The Late Show will end in May 2026, and there will be no replacement.” The stunned and angry audience was met with Colbert’s bittersweet smile: “I feel the same way you do.”

CBS cited “purely financial” reasons for the decision, pointing to declining ad revenue, high production costs, and shifting audience habits—a trend affecting all traditional media. But the truth was more complex.

Just days before, Colbert had delivered a fiery monologue exposing a financial deal between CBS’s parent company, Paramount, and Donald Trump, calling it a “fat, corrupt bribe.”

 The deal was to settle Trump’s lawsuit against CBS’s 60 Minutes, which alleged biased editing in a Kamala Harris interview that damaged Trump’s image.

Legal analysts deemed the lawsuit weak, protected by First Amendment rights. Many saw Paramount’s $16 million settlement not as a legal resolution but as a “hush payment” or “political bribe” to secure Trump’s approval for Paramount’s merger with Skydance at the FCC.

Reactions: From Jon Stewart to Trump

The response was swift and widespread. Jon Stewart, Colbert’s media mentor and a figure some call the conscience of many Americans, said: “When America’s most powerful political-comedy show is abruptly cancelled after its host exposes the sitting president, it’s not a coincidence. This isn’t just a business decision—it’s another step toward authoritarianism.”

Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and the Writers Guild of America called for investigations into the decision’s motives. Meanwhile, Trump posted on his social platform: “Colbert’s finally gone. One of the most untalented, ugliest, and biased people on TV.”Other hosts like Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers labelled the decision a dangerous sign for media freedom.

Broader Concerns for Media Freedom

The issue extends beyond Colbert. Reports suggest that in Trump’s second term, efforts to curb media have intensified, including pressuring outlets like The Washington Post to avoid endorsing Kamala Harris, replacing critical journalists with supportive bloggers and podcasters, and restricting media access to government information.

Alongside the cancellation of The Late Show, these moves signal what many refer to as a “media winter.”

Is the Era of Late-Night Over?

With the rise of YouTube, podcasts, streaming, and social media, audiences no longer wait for 11:30 p.m.

Many of Colbert’s viewers watched his monologues on YouTube the next morning. Networks have begun phasing out or reducing late-night shows. Yet these programs offered a unique space for unfiltered conversation, celebrity engagement, and entertaining political analysis. While networks like Paramount have robust streaming platforms, the shift to digital may not replicate the broad audience reach of traditional TV, fueling suspicions that political motives may lie behind the cancellation.

Global Implications: When America Ceases to Be a Model

When media freedom erodes in a nation like the United States, it sends a clear message to authoritarian regimes: “You can do this too.”

Countries like Iran, Russia, Turkey, and China have long justified media restrictions with claims of bias or defending “national values.” The cancellation of a show like The Late Show for criticizing a president emboldens such governments.

Colbert’s cancellation is not just the end of a TV program. It signals a new era where free speech, political satire, and critiques of power are easily sacrificed to commercial expediency, political pressure, and authoritarian structures.

Colbert may leave the TV screen, but the questions he raised and the jokes that cut closer to truth than any political analysis will live on in millions of minds. He and his peers won’t vanish entirely—digital platforms offer new opportunities.

Yet, this shift to a fragmented, echo-chambered digital space risks limiting their reach to like-minded audiences, losing the chance to challenge broader viewers with provocative ideas.