Colbert’s Ratings Plummet Ahead of Cancellation
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert just posted jaw-dropping lows. It couldn’t come at a worse time for the program — or a better time for critics.
Nielsen shows the key 25–54 demo averaging roughly 285,000 viewers in January. That’s the audience advertisers actually pay attention to. In plain terms: the show is tanking where it matters most.
The drop didn’t happen overnight. Numbers have slid for years. But losing the 25–54 crowd is a different kind of problem. Late-night TV survives on that audience. When it evaporates, so do ad dollars and affiliate confidence.
Why did viewers leave? A lot of reasons. The show stuck to the same script for years. The monologues leaned heavy on one political lane. Guest lists read like a left-wing roll call. People can get that content on cable news or streaming. They don’t need it on late night.
Colbert could have shifted direction. He didn’t. Stubborn programming choices kept the same tone night after night. That kind of sameness wears out an audience.
With an announced cancellation already on the books, the ratings trajectory looks like a confirmation. Viewers checked out long before the network pulled the plug. Which means the network’s decision now seems inevitable.
The practical fallout is clear. Lower demo numbers mean weaker ad revenue. Local stations may rethink how they schedule or promote late-night blocks. The whole franchise loses bargaining power with advertisers and talent.
Late-night TV is changing fast. Audiences want variety, fresh takes, and fewer predictable political rants. Any host who adapts has a shot. Hosts who double down on the same old act risk ending the run on a sour note — and that’s what happened here.
For now, the numbers speak loudest. Colbert’s January plunge is both the headline and the punchline.