Overview

• Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Roy Wood Jr. said an unfiltered Stephen Colbert on YouTube could pose a bigger problem for the administration in 2026 if he builds a large audience.
• CBS has set Colbert’s departure for next May after canceling The Late Show, with Paramount repeatedly describing the move as financially driven.
• The decision followed Paramount’s settlement of a lawsuit with President Trump and preceded FCC approval of the Skydance–Paramount merger, and Trump publicly celebrated the cancellation.
• Wood Jr. said CNN is holding firm under political pressure by elevating a wider range of voices, including conservative commentators.
• He questioned whether American journalists will risk their careers to resist pressure, asking how many can be fired before a compliant voice is found.