Was stephen colbert's show profitable
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1. Summary of the results
The majority of the analyses suggest that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was not profitable, with estimated annual losses of around $40 million [1] [2] [3]. These losses are attributed to various factors, including a decline in linear TV ratings [2] and lower ad revenue, which was affected by the show's political content [4]. Additionally, the show's streaming revenue was significantly lower than its peers, generating only $60 million since 2021 [5]. However, one source notes that the show was the only one among the nine tracked to draw more total viewers in Q2 than it had in the first quarter of 2025 [6].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
A key piece of missing context is the total revenue generated by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, including both advertising and streaming revenue [5]. Another important factor to consider is the production costs of the show, which could impact its overall profitability [4]. Furthermore, the analyses do not provide a clear picture of the show's target audience and how it compares to other late-night talk shows [2]. Alternative viewpoints suggest that the decline in viewership and ad revenue is a industry-wide trend, with viewership down 70-80% in the 18-49 demographic since 2015 and ad revenue halved since 2018 [2].
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original statement's claim that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was not profitable may be misleading, as it does not provide a clear picture of the show's overall revenue and production costs [1]. The sources cited may have a bias towards highlighting the decline of late-night talk shows, which could impact the accuracy of the information presented [3] [2]. Additionally, the sources may benefit from emphasizing the financial struggles of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, such as attracting more readers or viewers to their own platforms [5] [2]. Overall, it is essential to consider multiple sources and evaluate the potential biases and misinformation in the original statement [6] [4].