• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Exclusive

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

An hour in the Oval Office with President Trump.

Arts & Entertainment

The Trump Era Is Affecting Late-Night TV Ratings

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 8, 2017, 2:34 PM ET

We’re less than a month into Donald Trump’s presidency, and one of his chief critics on late-night television is already seeing a ratings boost.

Stephen Colbert and CBS’s The Late Show scored a major victory by pulling in more viewers than NBC’s Jimmy Fallon during the week of Jan. 30 to Feb. 3. Colbert, who took over the The Late Show in the fall of 2015, has mostly played second fiddle to Fallon’s Tonight Show in the late-night TV ratings race. But, last week, Colbert’s program averaged 2.8 million nightly viewers to just barely eke out Fallon’s total by roughly 12,000 viewers, according to Nielsen’s audience data.

It’s important to note that Fallon still easily won the weekly ratings in terms of the coveted demographic of adults between the ages of 18 and 49, with a 0.67 rating compared to Colbert’s 0.48. On ABC (DIS), rival comedian Jimmy Kimmel wasn’t far behind Colbert in the younger demo (0.45 rating) last week, but he attracted only 2.06 million total viewers. For the current television season overall, Fallon is averaging 3.37 million nightly viewers, compared to 2.95 million for Colbert and 2.25 for Kimmel. (Fallon also holds a healthy lead in the younger demo ratings for the full season.)

Still, as The New York Times noted on Tuesday, last week marked the first time in approximately a year and a half that Colbert topped Fallon’s viewership. Colbert’s CBS show (CBS) posted a strong debut in September 2015 only to ultimately settle well behind Fallon in the late-night ratings race. Colbert’s recent viewership win is no small feat, and it seems to be part of an overall upward trend for The Late Show ratings, as the show came within 8,000 viewers of Fallon’s average during the week of Jan. 16, the week leading up to Trump’s inauguration. (Colbert aired re-runs the week of Jan. 23.)

Colbert’s brand of political comedy is known to be popular with liberal viewers, many of whom tuned in to watch his satirical egomaniac alter-ego on the Colbert Report during that show’s 10-season run on Viacom’s Comedy Central (VIAB). Since debuting on the The Late Show, Colbert’s left-leaning views have often been cited as a possible reason why he trailed Fallon’s ratings. But, more recently, Colbert’s nightly skewering of the new Trump administration seems to be growing his audience, while Fallon’s numbers may have dipped after the NBC comedian took some heat during last year’s election for going too easy on Trump during the then-candidate’s late-night visit.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

It likely helps that Colbert that Trump currently suffers from the lowest presidential approval ratings in modern times while the new presidential administration seems to be making controversial storylines every day that make the perfect fodder for prodding from late-night comedians. Last spring, Colbert brought in a new executive producer to help breathe life into his show’s ratings. Since then, he’s ramped up his show’s political bent, airing several live shows during last summer’s political conventions and presidential debates in order to ensure fresher, up-to-date jokes in his opening monologues. Colbert has also turned to fellow political comedians such as his former Daily Show colleagues Jon Stewart and John Oliver to come on his show as guests, creating various viral moments in which they take turns riffing on the current political landscape.

Colbert is the clearly the most political of the three late-night comedians competing at the 11:30 p.m. ET time-slot, but he isn’t the only late-night host looking to ride the wave of anti-Trump sentiment. On broadcast TV, Seth Meyers, who hosts Late Night on NBC (CMCSA) following Fallon’s show, has carved out a niche as the late-late-night opposition voice to Trump, while comedians like Samantha Bee (TBS’ Full Frontal) and John Oliver (HBO’s Last Week Tonight) picked up their own fervent followings during the election.

Also on TBS (TWX), Conan O’Brien made a statement recently when he announced that he will film a special episode of his show, Conan, in Mexico City next month in an effort to distract from all of the negativity existing between the U.S. and Mexico as a result of Trump’s insistence on building a border wall and forcing Mexico to foot the bill.

And, there could be even more political-leaning jokes coming to nighttime television soon. NBC’s Saturday Night Live—a favorite sparring partner for Trump that mocks the president on a weekly basis—is reportedly in talks to launch a primetime weeknight spin-off of the show’s “Weekend Update” segment that riffs on news stories.

What’s more, while this was the first election in some time to be without nightly contributions from Jon Stewart, the former Daily Show host’s long-awaited planned project with HBO—a series of animated shows mocking cable news—is also expected to launch sometime this winter.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Arts & Entertainment

murdochs
CommentaryMedia
OpenAI paid $100 million for a talk show. James Murdoch is eyeing an even bigger deal. The hot new asset class is humanity
By Lin CherryMay 17, 2026
19 hours ago
‘No one was coming to save me’: How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn’t fix
Successreese witherspoon
‘No one was coming to save me’: How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn’t fix
By Sydney LakeMay 17, 2026
20 hours ago
tom
SuccessEntrepreneurs
Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio got a 15x return on a tech company most Americans have never heard of. He thinks his own industry is broken
By Nick LichtenbergMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
The ‘Knight Rider’ replica car got a $50 speeding ticket in New York despite never leaving Chicago museum
Lawcar
The ‘Knight Rider’ replica car got a $50 speeding ticket in New York despite never leaving Chicago museum
By The Associated Press and Dave CollinsMay 14, 2026
4 days ago
diamond
LawJewelry
‘Ocean Dream’ diamond, largest blue-green stone of its kind in the world, sells for $17.3 million
By The Associated PressMay 14, 2026
4 days ago
geezer
North AmericaAnimals
Debbie Gibson, Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath want you to adopt a beagle rescued from an experimental lab in Wisconsin
By Scott Bauer and The Associated PressMay 13, 2026
5 days ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
2 days ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
5 days ago
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
Economy
The top foreign holders of U.S. debt may soon dump Treasury bonds and bring their money back home, potentially spiking borrowing costs
By Jason MaMay 17, 2026
14 hours ago
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
Success
'No one was coming to save me': How Reese Witherspoon built a $900 million company from a problem Hollywood wouldn't fix
By Sydney LakeMay 17, 2026
20 hours ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
1 day ago
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
Innovation
SpaceX heads into a record-shattering IPO with the 'deepest moat that exists today' as investors vow to 'never bet against Elon'
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.