Overview

• CBS maintains the decision reflects budgetary pressures, confirming the show will continue through May 2026.
• David Letterman condemned the cancellation as “gutless,” rejecting the financial rationale and alleging it was timed to protect Paramount’s Skydance merger.
• Days after the cancellation announcement, the FCC approved the $8.4 billion Skydance–Paramount merger, following Paramount’s $16 million settlement in a lawsuit with President Trump.
• Samba TV reported an 81% surge in viewership for The Late Show in the week after the cancellation news, with audiences tuning in to see Colbert’s response.
• Industry analysts are debating whether CBS’s decision signals a broader retrenchment in late-night programming as networks contend with rising costs and changing audience habits.