What are the year by year trends of late night talk show viewership numbers over the last 10 years?
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Was this fact-check helpful?
1. Summary of the results
The year-by-year trends of late-night talk show viewership numbers over the last 10 years indicate a decline in viewership, with some sources reporting a significant drop in key demographics [1]. According to [1], 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' lost 72% of its key demographic over the past decade. However, other sources provide more recent data, such as [2], which reports that 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' led in total viewers and 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' led in the 18-49 demographic in Q2 2025. Additionally, [2] states that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert had 2.42 million viewers, followed by Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 1.77 million and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 1.19 million in Q2 2025. The data also shows that aggregate linear late-night viewership was down 9% year-over-year among total viewers and 21% in the demo [2]. It's worth noting that Gutfeld! was the only show to grow its audience across both total viewers and the 18-49 demo [2].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
Some sources, such as [6], [7], and [8], do not provide specific information on late-night talk show viewership numbers, instead focusing on cable news channels and their ratings. This lack of information limits the understanding of the trends in late-night talk show viewership. Furthermore, the suspension of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' and the cancellation of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' are mentioned in some sources [3] [4], but the implications of these events on the overall trends are not fully explored. Additionally, the AP-NORC poll finds that only about one-quarter of Americans watch late-night talk shows at least monthly [5], which provides context on the overall viewership of late-night talk shows. Democrats are more likely to be regular viewers, and more people watch late-night TV clips online rather than full shows [5].
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original statement does not provide any information on the current trends in late-night talk show viewership, which could lead to misinformation. Some sources, such as [1], report a decline in late-night TV viewership and advertising revenue, which could be biased towards a specific narrative. Additionally, the cancellation of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is mentioned in some sources [1] [4], but this information is not consistent across all sources, which could indicate potential misinformation or bias. The sources that report on the decline of late-night TV viewership, such as [1], may benefit from a narrative that emphasizes the decline of traditional TV, while sources that report on the growth of specific shows, such as [2], may benefit from a narrative that emphasizes the success of those shows [1] [2].