Overview

• CBS confirmed that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026, attributing the decision to financial pressures.
• Jon Batiste called the decision “a symptom of big money” in a Rolling Stone interview, warning that financial imperatives risk silencing critical editorial voices.
• Prominent peers, including Jon Stewart and David Letterman, have condemned the network’s move and expressed support for Colbert’s next steps.
• The recently completed $8 billion Paramount-Skydance merger and President Trump’s public praise have fueled speculation of political motivations, which CBS disputes.
• Lizz Winstead argued in a Rolling Stone op-ed that Colbert’s outspoken style poses a threat to powerful interests and encouraged him to seek new platforms with full creative control.