Latest news with #Guideline
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Was axing of Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' part of culture war or ratings decline?
US late-night television had been fighting for its survival even before The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was cancelled on Friday. The announced end of one of the most popular broadcast late-night shows, days after host Stephen Colbert accused the network owner of bribing US president Donald Trump to approve a merger, drew cries of political foul play from liberal politicians, artists and entertainers. "Stephen Colbert, an extraordinary talent and the most popular late-night host, slams the deal. Days later, he's fired. Do I think this is a coincidence? NO," Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent, wrote on X. CBS executives said in a statement that dropping the show was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount." Whether or not politics were at play, the late-night format has been struggling for years, as viewers increasingly cut the cable TV cord and migrate to streaming. Younger viewers, in particular, are more apt to find amusement on YouTube or TikTok, leaving smaller, aging TV audiences and declining ad revenues. Americans used to religiously turn on Johnny Carson or Jay Leno before bed, but nowadays many fans prefer to watch quick clips on social media at their convenience. Advertising revenue for Colbert's show has dropped 40% since 2018 - the financial reality that CBS said prompted the decision to end 'The Late Show' in May 2026. One former TV network executive said the programme was a casualty of the fading economics of broadcast television. Fifteen years ago, a popular late-night show like The Tonight Show could earn $100m (€86m) a year, the executive said. Recently, though, The Late Show has been losing $40m (€34m) a year, said a person briefed on the matter. The show's ad revenue plummeted to $70.2m (€60.4m) last year from $121.1m (€104.1m) in 2018, according to ad tracking firm Guideline. Ratings for Colbert's show peaked at 3.1m viewers on average during the 2017-18 season, according to Nielsen data. For the season that ended in May, the show's audience averaged 1.9m. Comedians like Colbert followed their younger audiences online, with the network releasing clips to YouTube or TikTok. But digital advertising did not make up for the lost TV ad revenue, the source with knowledge of the matter said. The TV executive said reruns of a hit prime-time show like Tracker would leave CBS with 'limited costs, and the ratings could even go up". The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is just the latest casualty of the collapse of one of television's most durable formats. When America's The Late Late Show host James Corden left in 2023, CBS opted not to hire a replacement. The network also canceled After Midnight this year, after host Taylor Tomlinson chose to return to full-time stand-up comedy. But the end came at a politically sensitive time. Paramount Global PARA.O, the parent company of CBS, is seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission for an $8.4bn (€7.2bn) merger with Skydance Media. This month, Paramount agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with his 2024 Democratic challenger, Kamala Harris. Colbert called the payment 'a big fat bribe' two days before he was told his show was cancelled. Many in the entertainment industry and Democratic politicians have called for probes into the decision, including the Writers Guild of America and Senator Edward Markey, who asked Paramount chair Shari Redstone whether the Trump administration had pressured the company. Paramount has the right to fire Colbert, including for his political positions, Markey said, but 'if the Trump administration is using its regulatory authority to influence or otherwise pressure your company's editorial decisions, the public deserves to know'. A spokesperson for Redstone declined comment. "It's a completely new world that artists and writers and journalists are living in, and it's scary," said Tom Nunan, a veteran film and TV producer who is co-head of the producers programme at UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television. "When the news came in about Colbert, we were shocked but not surprised." Reuters
Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Colbert is latest casualty of late-night TV's fade-out
Late-night television had been fighting for its survival even before The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was cancelled last week. The announced end of one of the most popular broadcast late-night shows, days after host Stephen Colbert accused the network owner of bribing President Donald Trump to approve a merger, drew cries of political foul play from liberal politicians, artists and entertainers. "Stephen Colbert, an extraordinary talent and the most popular late-night host, slams the deal. Days later, he's fired. Do I think this is a coincidence? NO," Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent, wrote on X. CBS executives said dropping the show was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount". The late-night format has been struggling for years as viewers increasingly migrate to streaming. Younger viewers, in particular, are more apt to find amusement on YouTube or TikTok, leaving smaller, aging TV audiences and declining ad revenues. Americans used to religiously turn on Johnny Carson or Jay Leno before bed, but nowadays many fans prefer to watch quick clips on social media. Advertising revenue for Colbert's show has dropped 40 per cent since 2018 - the financial reality that CBS said prompted the decision to end The Late Show in May 2026. One former TV network executive said the program was a casualty of the fading economics of broadcast television. Colbert's late-night show rivals Jimmy Fallon and Seth Myers both expressed shock over the cancellation. "I'm just as shocked as everyone," Fallon wrote on Instagram. "For as great a comedian and host he is, Stephen Colbert is an even better person," Meyers wrote on Instagram. Fifteen years ago, a popular late-night show like The Tonight Show could earn $US100 million ($A153 million) a year, the executive said. Recently, though, The Late Show has been losing $US40 million ($A61 million) a year, said a person briefed on the matter. The show's ad revenue plummeted to $US70 million ($A107 million) last year from $US121million ($A185 million) in 2018, according to ad tracking firm Guideline. Ratings for Colbert's show peaked at 3.1 million viewers on average during the 2017-18 season, according to Nielsen data. For the season that ended in May, the show's audience averaged 1.9 million. Comedians like Colbert followed their younger audiences online, with the network releasing clips to YouTube or TikTok. But digital advertising did not make up for the lost TV ad revenue, the source with knowledge of the matter said. But the end came at a politically sensitive time. Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, is seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission for an $US8.4 billion ($A12.8 billion) merger with Skydance Media. This month Paramount agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with his 2024 Democratic challenger, Kamala Harris. Colbert called the payment "a big fat bribe" two days before he was told his show was cancelled.
New Straits Times
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
Colbert is latest casualty of late-night TV's fade-out
LATE-NIGHT television had been fighting for its survival even before "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" was cancelled this week. The announced end of one of the most popular broadcast late-night shows, days after host Stephen Colbert accused the network owner of bribing President Donald Trump to approve a merger, drew cries of political foul play from liberal politicians, artists and entertainers. "Stephen Colbert, an extraordinary talent and the most popular late-night host, slams the deal. Days later, he's fired. Do I think this is a coincidence? NO," Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent, wrote on X. CBS executives said in a statement that dropping the show was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount." Whether or not politics were at play, the late-night format has been struggling for years, as viewers increasingly cut the cable TV cord and migrate to streaming. Younger viewers, in particular, are more apt to find amusement on YouTube or TikTok, leaving smaller, ageing TV audiences and declining ad revenues. Americans used to religiously turn on Johnny Carson or Jay Leno before bed, but nowadays many fans prefer to watch quick clips on social media at their convenience. Advertising revenue for Colbert's show has dropped 40 per cent since 2018 - the financial reality that CBS said prompted the decision to end "The Late Show" in May 2026. One former TV network executive said the programme was a casualty of the fading economics of broadcast television. Fifteen years ago, a popular late-night show like "The Tonight Show" could earn US$100 million a year, the executive said. Recently, though, "The Late Show" has been losing US$40 million a year, said a person briefed on the matter. The show's ad revenue plummeted to US$70.2 million last year from US$121.1 million in 2018, according to ad tracking firm Guideline. Ratings for Colbert's show peaked at 3.1 million viewers on average during the 2017-18 season, according to Nielsen data. For the season that ended in May, the show's audience averaged 1.9 million. Comedians like Colbert followed their younger audiences online, with the network releasing clips to YouTube or TikTok. But digital advertising did not make up for the lost TV ad revenue, the source with knowledge of the matter said. The TV executive said reruns of a hit prime-time show like "Tracker" would leave CBS with "limited costs, and the ratings could even go up." "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" is just the latest casualty of the collapse of one of television's most durable formats. When "The Late Show" host James Corden left in 2023, CBS opted not to hire a replacement. The network also cancelled "After Midnight" this year, after host Taylor Tomlinson chose to return to full-time stand-up comedy. But the end came at a politically sensitive time. Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, is seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission for an US$8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. This month Paramount agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Trump over a "60 Minutes" interview with his 2024 Democratic challenger, Kamala Harris. Colbert called the payment "a big fat bribe" two days before he was told his show was cancelled. Many in the entertainment industry and Democratic politicians have called for probes into the decision, including the Writers Guild of America and Senator Edward Markey, who asked Paramount Chair Shari Redstone whether the Trump administration had pressured the company. Paramount has the right to fire Colbert, including for his political positions, Markey said, but "if the Trump administration is using its regulatory authority to influence or otherwise pressure your company's editorial decisions, the public deserves to know." A spokesperson for Redstone could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday night. "It's a completely new world that artists and writers and journalists are living in, and it's scary," said Tom Nunan, a veteran film and TV producer who is co-head of the producers programme at UCLA's School of Theatre, Film and Television. "When the news came in about Colbert, we were shocked but not surprised."
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
National Advertising Division Recommends Guideline Modify or Discontinue '#1' and 'Most Popular' 401(k) Claims
New York, NY, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a Fast-Track SWIFT challenge brought by Human Interest Inc., BBB National Programs' National Advertising Division recommended that Guideline, Inc. modify or discontinue advertising claims that its 401(k) program is the 'Most Popular' and '#1' among Gusto, Inc. customers. Fast-Track SWIFT is an expedited process for single-issue advertising cases reviewed by the National Advertising Division (NAD). Human Interest and Guideline compete in the retirement benefits market, offering 401(k) plans to small and medium-sized businesses through partnerships with Gusto's payroll and HR platform. Human Interest challenged claims in online advertising regarding Guideline's popularity with companies that utilize Gusto's online payroll and human resources solutions. If a Gusto client wants to offer its employees a 401(k) plan through Gusto, the client has the option of selecting a provider, such as Human Interest or Guideline, that partners with Gusto. At issue was whether Guideline is currently the top choice among Gusto clients for 401(k) providers. Specifically, NAD reviewed the express claims 'We're Gusto's #1 retirement partner' and 'Most popular 401(k) with Gusto customers,' and the implied claim that more Gusto customers select Guideline for their 401(k) program than any other provider. In the context in which the challenged claims appear, NAD found that one message reasonably conveyed is that Gusto clients are currently selecting Guideline for their 401(k) plan more often than any other provider. While the record demonstrated that Guideline is the leader in the total number of active 401(k) plans among Gusto customers, Guideline did not demonstrate which 401(k) provider is currently being selected by more Gusto customers. Accordingly, NAD recommended that Guideline either discontinue the claims 'We're Gusto's #1 retirement partner' and 'Most popular 401(k) with Gusto customers,' or modify the claims to (1) include a clear and conspicuous disclosure indicating that the basis for the claims is the number of active accounts with Gusto customers; or (2) communicate as part of the main claim that they are based on the number of active accounts with Gusto customers. In its advertiser statement, Guideline stated that it 'thanks the NAD for its review.' All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. Per NAD/NARB Procedures, this release may not be used for promotional purposes. About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs, a non-profit organization, is the home of U.S. independent industry self-regulation, currently operating more than 20 globally recognized programs that have been helping enhance consumer trust in business for more than 50 years. These programs provide third-party accountability and dispute resolution services that address existing and emerging industry issues, create fair competition for businesses and a better experience for consumers. BBB National Programs continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-and-teen-directed marketing, data privacy, dispute resolution, automobile warranty, technology, and emerging areas. To learn more, visit About the National Advertising Division: The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for advertising truth and accuracy, delivering meaningful protection to consumers and promoting fair competition for business. Name: Jennie Rosenberg Email: [email protected] Job Title: Media Relations
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Business Standard
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Govt's 2nd VGF boosts battery energy storage systems development: IESA
Industry body India Energy Storage Alliance on Wednesday hailed the government's announcement of the second tranche of the viability gap funding to boost the development of standalone Battery Energy Storage Systems. The scheme aligns with the government's ambitious goal of achieving 30 GWh of energy storage capabilities distributed among 15 states with support from NTPC, the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) said in a statement. It aims to attract an investment of ₹33,000 crore, fulfilling the country's BESS requirements by 2028. IESA believes that India Energy Storage Week 2025 will further accelerate this initiative by bringing together industry leaders, stakeholders, and investments from around the globe, the statement said. A viability gap funding (VGF) of ₹18 lakh ($21,043)/MWh will be provided to support the development of 30 GWh of BESS capacity under this tranche. The funding will be sourced from the Power System Development Fund (PSDF), with a total financial outlay of about ₹5,400 crore ($631.30 million). This initiative promises to enhance energy security and facilitate optimal utilisation of existing thermal generation and transmission infrastructure to meet electricity demands during non-solar hours, the statement said. As the need for BESS is projected to grow, reaching 37 GWh by 2027 and 236 GWh by 2032, according to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the timely implementation of these measures is crucial for the future of energy storage in India. Vinayak Walimbe, Managing Director of Customized Energy Solutions (CES), said, "The second tranche of viability gap funding will not only drive investment but also foster innovation and collaboration across the energy sector". Debmalya Sen, President of the IESA, further stated, "The requirement under the Guideline for the Power Supply Agreement (PSA) to be signed within nine months is a significant development that will expedite project signing". IESA is hosting the 11th edition of India Energy Storage Week (IESW), taking place in Delhi from July 8-10, aims to boost India's energy transition and global partnerships to further accelerate the government's vision for the country's battery energy storage systems (BESS) development in India.
