On the one hand, I hate CBS being this chicken shit about the administration (and over what, a merger that probably isn't even that great for them). On the other hand, it reminds me of NBC's handing of Conan, which ultimately was better for Conan. If Daily Show goes too, I can't imagine they won't both team up on a new platform somewhere in sort of a golden era moment.

My generation is used to things coming and going, anyway. Nothing is sacred.

[-] bacon_pdp@lemmy.world 25 points 1 week ago

Depending on his contract’s cancellation clause, he might with his own pocket change just resume his show on his own streaming service (or pornhub if he wants to mock CBS)

[-] tburkhol@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago

I'd also like to think that a lot of the late night guys - Colbert, Stewart, Kimmel, etc - could do just as well on...their own web site, some streaming service, whatever. Colbert's announcement said the Late Show is 200 people. Writers, researchers, graphics, all the mechanics of just shooting and editing the show. 200 people is at least $10M/year (without Colbert's own salary). The hosts themselves are (obviously) funny people, but they've all got a dozen or a score of really good writers backing them up. Researchers to find the funny clips or kick in topics. Their content will suffer without that machine.

Maybe one or two of these big names could recruit a paying audience big enough to manage that, but they're not going to pay it out of their own pocket for long. They're decamillionaires, not billionaires.

[-] relativestranger@feddit.nl 11 points 1 week ago

payroll for off-screen employees and contracted workers is probably at least 3x that much when you include benefits costs, taxes, and other related expenses.

[-] princessnorah 3 points 1 week ago

His contract wasn't breached, they decided they wouldn't renew, hence why he's working still for the next ten months. It's still a cancellation, it just isn't the immediate one some people think it is.

Honestly seems stupid of them to announce it literally three days after Colbert called them out for bribing Trump.

[-] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago

It’s exactly what needs to happen. Billionaires are continuing to push viewers off of corporate platforms, under the mistaken impression that they control what we consume. Every day they forgo more control over the masses.

[-] jeena@piefed.jeena.net 25 points 1 week ago

I predict people will just get used to it like in China and Russia. While you're right that the billionaires take more and more control over the media and the masses, I don't think that the masses are willing to do anything about it.

[-] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Aaron Parnas and Meidas Touch Network now have more monthly active viewers than many legacy media outlets.

Millennials and Gen Z make up the majority of content creator viewership. Legacy media is losing its grip fast.

[-] lerba@sopuli.xyz 6 points 1 week ago

Interesting take!

[-] dangling_cat 3 points 1 week ago

It’s more like viewers refuse to try independence media and stay comfortable with what they are familiar with.

Example: Reddit and Twitter.

[-] Rookwood@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 1 week ago

Good. Controversial take, but his show sucked. You could tell CBS was really censoring him from the moment he jumped from Comedy Central to late night. Maybe he'll start up some new projects and we'll get to see that old Colbert biting satire again.