The only thing that was suspicious was the timing.
I fully believe that it was a massive money loser. Colbert’s wages alone were high. He apparently started at $6m per year and then got a new contract at $15m per year.
That might seem high, but at his peak Johnny Carson was making $25m per year. That was in 1991. So, $25m per year would be worth $55m today. But, that was in a 3-channel world where there weren’t many options.
And these late night shows cost about $1.7 million per week to make, or about $75m per year.
So, it makes a lot of sense that it would be losing a lot of money. It also makes sense that they would be thinking about cancelling it.
But, it was also the #1 late night talk show. And that has been a really prestigious thing for the networks for decades. I think even if it was a money loser, I think CBS would likely have wanted to hold on to the #1 late night show for a long time, just for bragging rights. Being #1 in late night is also useful for cross-promotion. Colbert always interviews the stars of major CBS shows: Tracker, Ghosts, Matlock, NCIS, etc. And being the #1 show means it’s the first place that Hollywood stars stop to promote their movies, etc.
I think it’s more likely they would have tried some cost cutting, and they would have tried to outlast the other late night shows rather than being the first network to give up on late night talk shows.
The cancellation of Late Night isn’t suspicious. But the timing of the cancellation of Late Night is very suspicious.
I think even if it was a money loser, I think CBS would likely have wanted to hold on to the #1 late night show for a long time, just for bragging rights. Being #1 in late night is also useful for cross-promotion. Colbert always interviews the stars of major CBS shows: Tracker, Ghosts, Matlock, NCIS, etc. And being the #1 show means it’s the first place that Hollywood stars stop to promote their movies, etc.
Sounds like you don’t have an MBA and don’t like to ruin everything like they do because of it!
The numbers people can’t even comprehend what you said sometimes.
Give it a few years and they’ll be baffled by reductions everywhere else.
The only thing that was suspicious was the timing.
I fully believe that it was a massive money loser. Colbert’s wages alone were high. He apparently started at $6m per year and then got a new contract at $15m per year.
That might seem high, but at his peak Johnny Carson was making $25m per year. That was in 1991. So, $25m per year would be worth $55m today. But, that was in a 3-channel world where there weren’t many options.
“Carson at his peak averaged 9 million viewers nightly; Stephen Colbert now leads a crowded field with about 3 million.”
And these late night shows cost about $1.7 million per week to make, or about $75m per year.
So, it makes a lot of sense that it would be losing a lot of money. It also makes sense that they would be thinking about cancelling it.
But, it was also the #1 late night talk show. And that has been a really prestigious thing for the networks for decades. I think even if it was a money loser, I think CBS would likely have wanted to hold on to the #1 late night show for a long time, just for bragging rights. Being #1 in late night is also useful for cross-promotion. Colbert always interviews the stars of major CBS shows: Tracker, Ghosts, Matlock, NCIS, etc. And being the #1 show means it’s the first place that Hollywood stars stop to promote their movies, etc.
I think it’s more likely they would have tried some cost cutting, and they would have tried to outlast the other late night shows rather than being the first network to give up on late night talk shows.
The cancellation of Late Night isn’t suspicious. But the timing of the cancellation of Late Night is very suspicious.
Sounds like you don’t have an MBA and don’t like to ruin everything like they do because of it!
The numbers people can’t even comprehend what you said sometimes.
Give it a few years and they’ll be baffled by reductions everywhere else.