Same company owns both CBS and Comedy Central.

In what way do you think Colbert sold out?

At some level, it is worse. The Indian press never sold us citizens koolaid about freedom, talking truth to power, and patted themselves on the back about winning Pulitzer Prizes for journalism.

The Indian press knows it is a bottom feeder and doesn’t try not to be which gives space for critical thought to emerge (even if it masked as extreme cynicism - “everyone is corrupt”) which results in extreme skepticism of everyone.

The Late Show has an elderly and shrinking audience. And, Colbert hasn't been funny in years, nor has he been challenging the powers that be.

When he did the White House Correspondents' Dinner and roasted George W Bush, that was extremely edgy. The Colbert Report was also wickedly funny.

But the Late Show makes John Oliver look like Lenny Bruce.

I'd worry more about defunding public broadcasting or the Washington Post editorial stance. There's a good faith argument here that the cause was market conditions:

> The genre has been struggling as the majority of the country migrates in droves to streaming entertainment and away from traditional broadcast and cable television...

> The number of late-night shows has dwindled in recent years...

> The genre has also experienced a sharp decline in advertising revenue in recent years...

America is over as we have known if for the last 95 years

How expensive can they be? One set, minimal editing?

It’s currently the number one late night show. It’s not about money. It’s because the president pressured them after Colbert called the network out Tuesday for taking a bribe.

How can they be so expensive? Unless you mean in relation to ad revenue.

It's one host, maybe a band, they don't pay the guests cause their there to pitch their show/music/book/film. Maybe all the extra staff they need to write jokes and whatnot. Maybe all the drug advertisements really don't pay all that much anymore.

"One possible factor in the negotiations: an $800 million loan that Park County took in 2023 from private equity firm the Carlyle Group. Parker and Stone could be squeezed for cash to repay roughly $80 million in interest per year, according to one person knowledgeable of the arrangement, who noted that Paramount may be open to paying more than $150 million annually in a new deal but not for 10 years."

That's quite the loan.

It could be that Colbert's pay has outpaced advertising revenue.

Among other things, Colbert said:

“Now, I believe this kind of complicated financial settlement with a sitting government official has a technical name in legal circles: It’s big fat bribe, because this all comes as Paramount owners are trying to get the Trump administration to approve the sale of our network to a new owner, Skydance.”

maybe they are worried that Colbert will say things that are actionable and could lead to more lawsuits?

From my observations, Colbert's satire strictly represents one segment of the political spectrum. So it's either not informed, or not honest.