How does Jimmy Kimmel's show compare to other late-night talk shows in terms of viewership?

Checked on September 22, 2025
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1. Summary of the results

The viewership of Jimmy Kimmel's show has been declining over the years, with a significant drop in the key demographic of 18 to 49-year-olds, as reported by [1]. According to [1], Jimmy Kimmel's show has seen a 72% loss in this demographic since 2013-14, and a 70-80% decline in overall viewership since 2015, similar to other late-night shows like 'The Late Show' and 'The Tonight Show' [1]. Specifically, the show averaged 1.77 million viewers in the second quarter, ranking third in the 11:35 PM time slot, behind The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and ahead of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon [2]. However, in the 18-49 demographic, Kimmel's show performed well, with 220,000 viewers, surpassing Colbert and Fallon [2]. The AP-NORC poll found that only about one-quarter of Americans watch late-night talk shows at least monthly, with Democrats being more likely to watch them regularly [3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some analyses, such as [4] and [4], highlight the decline in ratings of Jimmy Kimmel's show, with a 37% drop in average viewership since 2015, and a 72% decline in the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54 [4]. However, other analyses, such as [5], provide a more nuanced view, stating that late-night TV shows, including Jimmy Kimmel's, are experiencing declining viewership, but Kimmel's show is still performing well in certain demographics [5]. Additionally, the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's show and the reactions of other late-night hosts are discussed in several analyses, including [6], [7], and [8], but these do not provide direct information on viewership comparisons [6] [7] [8]. The fact that more people watch late-night clips online than watch full shows, with about 6 in 10 U.S. adults having watched clips in the past year, is also an important context to consider [3].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be misleading, as it does not provide a complete picture of Jimmy Kimmel's show's viewership. Some analyses, such as [4] and [4], may be biased towards highlighting the decline in ratings of Jimmy Kimmel's show, which could benefit Fox News and its show 'Gutfeld!' [4]. On the other hand, analyses like [5] and [2] may be more neutral, providing a more balanced view of the situation [5] [2]. It is also possible that the original statement is trying to create a narrative that Jimmy Kimmel's show is struggling, which could benefit other late-night shows and their networks [1] [4]. Ultimately, the original statement should be viewed with caution, and readers should consider multiple sources before forming an opinion [1] [4] [5] [2] [3] [6] [7] [8].

Want to dive deeper?
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How has Jimmy Kimmel's show performed in terms of viewership since its debut in 2003?
What factors contribute to the fluctuation in viewership for late-night talk shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live!?