The US community acted below political stress following a $16 million Trump settlement, the union claims
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has known as for an investigation into the abrupt cancellation of The Late Present with Stephen Colbert by CBS and its guardian firm, Paramount World, alleging the transfer was politically motivated.
CBS confirmed earlier this week that it’ll finish the long-running late-night program in Might 2026, retiring all the Late Present franchise after over three a long time. Executives cited declining advert income and altering viewer habits as causes for the choice.
“Cancellations are a part of the enterprise,” the WGA’s East and West Coast branches mentioned in a joint assertion Friday, “however terminating a present in unhealthy religion resulting from political stress is harmful and unacceptable in a democratic society.” The union urged New York state officers to launch a proper investigation.
The WGA famous that the cancellation adopted CBS’s latest $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump, who had sued the community over alleged media bias. The case stemmed from a 60 Minutes phase that Trump claimed defamed him throughout its 2024 election protection. Paramount didn’t admit to any wrongdoing however agreed to pay earlier this month.
Colbert criticized the settlement on-air as a “huge fats bribe,” referring to Paramount World’s ongoing effort to safe regulatory approval for a merger with Skydance Media — a deal that might face authorities scrutiny.
The WGA known as the payout a “capitulation to President Trump,” arguing that Colbert’s cancellation sacrifices free speech within the hopes of currying favor with regulators forward of the merger.
Different late-night hosts expressed outrage over the transfer. Tonight Present host Jimmy Fallon mentioned he was shocked, whereas Jimmy Kimmel Reside! host Jimmy Kimmel voiced assist for Colbert and sharply criticized CBS.
Trump praised the present’s cancellation in a Reality Social put up, including, “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is subsequent. Has even much less expertise than Colbert!”
Whereas CBS has tried to take care of neutrality, Colbert has continuously mocked Trump with humor and satire, as soon as calling the previous president’s actions authoritarian.
Regardless of the controversy, The Late Present averaged 3.61 million viewers in the course of the 2024–2025 season — a 16% rise from the earlier yr — making it the most-watched late-night program in the course of the fall season.
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