Gutfeld! Dominates Late-Night Ratings
Greg Gutfeld’s late-night show on Fox News Channel, “Gutfeld!”, has emerged as the top-rated program in its time slot, eclipsing CBS’s “Late Show” with Stephen Colbert. CBS recently announced its plans to cancel “Late Show” at the end of the upcoming broadcast season due to significant financial losses—around $40 million annually. However, some skeptics believe the decision may also be influenced by political factors, possibly to placate the Trump administration.
During a segment on Monday, Colbert questioned whether CBS’s decision to end his show was purely financial, suggesting that viewership numbers shouldn’t dictate such a major move. He expressed confusion over the rationale, particularly since “Late Show” has maintained a high rating.
Despite its cancellation, “Gutfeld!” has continued to thrive, securing the top spot in total viewership for the 21st month in a row. The show averages about 3.1 million viewers, compared to the 1.9 million for Colbert’s show. In the crucial demographic of adults aged 25-54, “Gutfeld!” also leads, garnering 398,000 viewers in this key market, compared to Colbert’s 288,000.
The shows air at different times, with “Gutfeld!” at 10 PM ET and “Late Show” at 11:35 PM ET. Other competitors are also trailing: ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” averages 1.5 million viewers, while NBC’s “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” sees 1.1 million and “Late Night with Seth Meyers” only receives 751,000.
Interestingly, Gutfeld! dominates among younger audiences as well, attracting 248,000 adults aged 18-49, whereas Colbert pulls in just 188,000. The overall plan involves a merger of CBS’s parent company with Skydance Media, which raises questions about future programming, notably whether other shows like “The Daily Show” will also face changes.
Colbert has been a vocal critic of former President Trump and didn’t hold back on Monday, responding to Trump’s comments on the cancellation with a sharp retort. Recently, CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, settled a significant election interference lawsuit brought by Trump for $16 million, which Colbert previously criticized as akin to bribery.
