Late-Night Bloodbath: NBC's $100M Loss and the Future of Fallon & Meyers
Late-Night TV Bloodbath: $100 Million Losses Put NBC's Big Stars on the Chopping Block
The glittering world of late-night television is about to get a whole lot darker, and it's not just because of President Donald Trump's Twitter tantrums. Behind the scenes, a financial bloodbath is unfolding, with two of NBC's biggest stars - Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers - facing an uncertain future after their shows helped sink the network into a staggering $100 million-plus hole.
The bombshell news comes as CBS announced the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's The Late Show, sparking accusations that politics played a dirty role in the decision. But insiders at NBC are tight-lipped about the financial fallout, fueling speculation that the network is trying to distract from its own money woes by letting others take the hit.
"NBC isn't denying the $100 million loss because if everyone's talking about politics, they're not talking about whether these shows are even sustainable anymore," reveals Rob Shuter, a veteran media columnist and expert in all things TV. "They want you to think it's all about Colbert being canceled for political reasons, but trust me, it's about the benjamins."
Shuter isn't alone in his skepticism. Robert Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, agrees that NBC is trying to deflect attention from its own financial struggles. "They want people to think CBS canceled Colbert because he was too anti-Trump," Thompson explains, "but let's be real, it's about the ratings - and right now, they're not exactly raking it in."
The numbers are staggering: while Colbert's show may have drawn hundreds of thousands more viewers than its closest late-night competitor, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, NBC's trio of shows - Fallon, Meyers, and SNL - combined have created a $100 million-plus shortfall. And that's not even counting the revenue generated from streaming and digital sources, which insiders say could bring the losses down to a still-uncomfortable $50 million.
But here's the thing: while NBC is staying mum on the financial fallout, CBS is taking a very public beating over Colbert's cancellation. The host has been vocal in his criticism of President Trump, calling himself a "martyr" after the decision was announced and even telling the Commander-in-Chief to "Go f**k yourself." It's clear that politics played a role in the decision - but just how much?
Insiders close to the situation suggest that Paramount Global, CBS' parent company, may have had a financial motivation for canceling Colbert. The network paid Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, and some are calling it "a big, fat bribe." But was it really just about money? Or did the decision have more to do with politics?
Colbert's show has always been known for its biting satire, but not everyone in late-night TV is as willing to take on Trump. Jimmy Fallon, NBC's Tonight Show host, has managed to keep his distance from the controversy - at least until now. "Fallon was the only one who didn't completely alter their brand to make fun of the president," says Thompson. "But let's be clear: this isn't about politics anymore. It's about money."
And right now, NBC is hemorrhaging cash. Shuter predicts that Fallon's laid-back style may have bought him some time - but not forever. "The moment a format stops printing cash, the ideology behind it becomes a footnote," he warns.
As the dust settles on CBS' decision to cancel Colbert, one thing is clear: late-night TV is about to get a whole lot more interesting - and expensive. Stay tuned for what's next in this drama-filled world of ratings, politics, and billions of dollars at stake.
