Ansley Kang ’29
Staff Writer
For the past few years, I looked forward to the 11 o’clock news for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Needless to say, the show’s impending retirement in May 2026 devastated me. Stephen Colbert’s satirical approach to current events and political happenings made bad news seem like it might be okay after all. At first, I thought CBS made the decision based on finances, as indicated in their official statement. However, President Donald Trump’s hostile attitude towards critical news coverage, specifically regarding Paramount, sparked my investigation into other reasons for the show’s retirement.
It is no secret that Trump has targeted many major media companies since taking office. In the past few months, Trump attacked NPR, PBS, and CBS, the latter under its parent company, Paramount. This July, Paramount Pictures settled a $16 million lawsuit with the Trump administration over a “60 Minutes” interview with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Trump claimed that the broadcasting company deceptively edited the interview, favoring Harris for the Nov. 2024 election.
Talk shows and late-night broadcasts are facing a steady decline in popularity. It’s hard to find people who regularly keep up with these shows, and most of the time, the only coverage late-night broadcasting receives is when it ends up on a TikTok or reel posted by a random movie clip account. They may not make a lot of money for their networks, but I began to pause when CBS cancelled a late-night talk show — particularly one filled with political satire and comedy––in the heat of rising political division in our nation.
Viewers knew The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for its criticism of the Trump administration. Just days before the cancellation, Colbert condemned Trump’s lawsuit with Paramount on his show. Many, including Colbert himself, speculated that this lawsuit was more of a bribe for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to approve the $8 billion Paramount and Skydance Media merger. I don’t buy it for a minute that Colbert’s cancellation was due to CBS’s financial situation.
Media censorship is on the rise, especially with Trump in office, who seems to be attacking any major media outlet that opposes his agenda. But the bigger issue for me is the companies that are regressing their right to free speech to protect themselves from the Trump administration. The irony of all of this media censorship is that the left has never tried to repress conservative news outlets in favor of the Republican party. It appears that the Trump administration’s method of power is built on silencing voices that disagree with him.
Stephen Colbert’s late night show wasn’t just a 40-minute segment of political jokes and jabs at the Trump administration. It offered valuable political commentary and news relevant to his entire audience. By taking away this show, our nation risks eliminating people’s access to political satire. By taking away this access, we are removing an outlet for accountability of political parties and simplifying many complex political issues that our nation should be aware of.
I felt that same chilling effect when ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show after criticism regarding a comment he made about conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s death. Kimmel was fired over a factual statement and criticism of the conservative party, while conservative news anchors who spew lies and abide by MAGA policies don’t receive any punishment from the federal government. The cancellation of these two late-night shows is undoubtedly a form of censorship by the federal government, as we speak.
Despite the censorship and cancellation of The Late Night Show, Colbert still won Best Talk Show at this year’s Emmy Awards. This is a strong reminder that even the federal government’s attempts to silence media narratives will not take away ratings and cultural recognition. To resist the rampant censorship in the media, it is important to follow Colbert’s example and critique powerful figures who attempt to use fear to dominate over their opposition. If we, as a nation, want to continue fighting against injustice and censorship, it is important not to let intimidation, even from the most prominent figures in the world, control our voices.
Photo Courtesy of Kevin Winter/Getty Images
