Is There a Future for Late-Night Talk Shows? (NY Times)

[pstokely]

Last edited Tue Oct 11, 2022, 02:16 AM - Edit history (1)

https://web.archive.org/web/20221010003320/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/09/business/media/late-night-talk-shows.html

Some executives have concluded that the cost to produce some late-night shows, particularly at 12:30 a.m., is no longer feasible in an era of sinking ratings.

Revenue has fallen for the late-night shows. Through the first six months of 2021, the four late-night shows on network television took in a total of $301 million in advertising revenue, according to Kantar. Through the first six months of this year, that figure fell 16 percent, to $253.6 million. Mr. Meyers’s show generated $24.6 million in advertising revenue through the first six months of 2021, compared with $19 million in the first six months of 2022, Kantar said.

Indeed, ratings for the late-night shows have been falling so much that the political comedy show “Gutfeld!” on Fox News at 11 p.m. frequently draws more viewers than any of the longstanding network late-night franchises.

Late-night shows have also struggled to make the transition to streaming video, another consideration weighing on executives. The topical opening monologue, a staple of the genre, has virtually no shelf life in streaming libraries.

[Baggies]

1. Probably too late

Jay Leno followed the Johnny Carson formula and did OK. Letterman also did until his later years, then he went off the rails.

Probably too much time has passed between what was good late night TV and what it's now become to resurrect it.

[jimfields33]

8. They've been stale for years. Time for them to retire.

Nobody will miss them at all.

[Initech]

9. COVID totally changed things a lot.

Not having a live audience and band really killed the vibe of a lot of shows, Colbert definitely being one of them.

[BannonsLiver]

11. "Went off the rails"

Please tell me more about that.

[maxsolomon]

2. the only people who can stay up that late

are college students.

F "Gutfeld!", though.

[pstokely]

12. how many college students are watching gutfeld?

the college students he finds unattractive

[maxsolomon]

15. if there's 1 that's too many.

I've actually never seen it or know anything about it other than his name is Greg Gutfeld. It's on Fux.

[Sky Jewels]

16. I love Seth Meyers and often stay up to watch at least the first part of the show.

I've always been a night owl, though, and I have a flexible work schedule, so I can sleep in a bit.

[brush]

3. Kimmel is good and progressive whenever I watch him.

How much is he bringing in?

[Srkdqltr]

4. I hope not. They are using a format that goes back to the 40s.

Different faces with the same formula. They need something new.

[Initech]

5. I still watch Colbert. But fuck Gutfeld!

[LiberalFighter]

6. I record Colbert and watch the next day.

He is more than just a talk show host. He is very talented. And he has some serious interviews.

[IcyPeas]

7. I sometimes check the listings to see who the guests/musical guests are

then I'll record it, or not.

I stopped watching The Daily Show, Seth Meyers, Sam Bee etc. over the last 6 years because I just couldn't laugh anymore. it was trump all day on the news, then more trump even on these shows. I couldn't take it anymore.

I think if they found a good host it might make a difference. Fallon and Meyers have too many SNL guests on.

Graham Norton uses a different formula. I sometimes look to see who is on his show too.

[Submariner]

10. I'd like to see John Stewart do the Daily Show again

for a couple of years.

Spend 2 years burying Trump and his family in insults, and drive Benedict Donald off the cliff.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. I never "got" late-night, never watched.

When I was working, I had to get to work, couldn't stay up to watch Carson, Leno.

Now that I'm retired, anything after 9 pm is "late-night".

[sakabatou]

14. Never really got into them, though I used to record The Daily Show with John Stewart