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#26 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2025-09-17 09:25 PM
These late night shows are tanking in the ratings and it's no wonder why.
We need another Johnny Carson.
Actually, the reason you don't understand "why" is because you blinked and missed the rapidly changing "content creation and delivery" business landscape - "free TV" today is far from what it was when Johnny Carson was "on the air" competing only with a couple of similar OTA networks and a few "cable" news/entertainment channels, mostly CNN and MTV.
Today, number of digital CDNs ("Content Delivery/Distribution Network") is huge (YT / TikTok "channels" etc.) and content more fragmented than 3 or 4 OTA TV networks then, and people don't have to stay up late, especially in Western time zones, to watch "live" late-night network content.
So comparing today's "late night" ratings to old times or any other available content is nonsensical. If networks were really losing money on these shows, they wouldn't keep them on the air - the programmers and accountants there are not idiots and understand "ad and aux revenue" and change shows all the time - if they could make more net $$ doing that they would do it without "input" from Trump and FCC chair.
So maybe we should leave programming and accounting to the networks? We don't have to like or watch it. Or do you really want to be hypocritical and maintain that the reason Colbert and Kimmel are being "cancelled" is because they have "no talent" and their "low ratings," and Trump's clearly stated desires and threats had nothing to do with it?
Q: What were the ratings of the whatever show that replaced Kimmel's this week and how much money DIS made / lost with it?
Q: Do you really want your content choices decided by the Programmer-in-Chief? Be careful what you wish for.
FCC is not the only "weapon" Big Government has. Two largest Disney / ABC local stations owners, Nexstar (NSXT) and Tegna (TGNA), who suddenly refused to retransmit Kimmel show, have recently announced a merger, and are very dependent on FCC (e.g., ownership limits rules - www.lermansenter.com), FTC and DOJ antitrust approval:
"Nexstar to Buy Tegna for $3.5 Billion in Bet on FCC Reforms ... Nexstar-Tegna deal puts Trump move to eliminate broadcast ownership rules to the test - 2025-09-01
Very opportune moment for Trump to exact his revenge, no?
Disney also owns Hulu which is trying to acquire some of the "free / ad-supported / subscription" streaming services like Fubo and Philo, which also will need government approval. How do you think these would go if DIS doesn't indulge Dear Leader?
This is similar to Paramount (CBS) which received miraculously fast approval to merge with Larry Ellison son's company Skydance... just as soon as Sheri Redstone agreed to paying $16M+ to Trump to settle baseless lawsuit.
Q: Do you know of any "media company" that will chance not being subject to some government regulations or decisions affecting their business in next few years?
Using extortion and pretext of "Saint Charlie" Kirk's murder to muzzle "inconvenient" content used to be revolting, regardless of the party and grievances re "the other side."
Nothing like corruption AND an attack on free speech, rolled into one. Brought to us by "scum" who doesn't believe either exists.
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