Why Late Night is in Trouble

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Mark Jeffries

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May 12, 2022, 6:37:46 PM5/12/22
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A former writer for Fallon turned college professor on why he believes late night is in decline, criticizing the overemphasis on the news cycle and celebrity worship and defending Lilly Singh and, uh, Greg Gutfeld:


Discuss.

Bob Jersey

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May 13, 2022, 12:39:19 PM5/13/22
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TV in general is moving to interactivity only anyway, how-be-it slowly...     B

Mark Jeffries, May 12th:
A former writer for Fallon turned college professor on why he believes late night is in decline, criticizing the overemphasis on the news cycle and celebrity worship and defending Lilly Singh and, uh, Greg Gutfeld:


Discuss.

Diner

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May 13, 2022, 5:12:53 PM5/13/22
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Do you mean "albeit," Bob? Not familiar with "how-be-it."

Bob Jersey

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May 14, 2022, 5:41:21 PM5/14/22
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That word would also fit.

They are similar, but one is "archaic," per vocabulary sites (e.g. https://explainqn.com/albeit-vs-howbeit/ [link])     B

Diner, to moi, May 13th:

Kevin M.

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May 14, 2022, 5:53:21 PM5/14/22
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That blog post was horribly written and completely missed the point, so it makes sense that it was written by a Fallon writer 

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Kevin M. (RPCV)

PGage

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May 14, 2022, 5:54:39 PM5/14/22
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It’s hard for me to take this article seriously. I clicked through the links he provided to support the three points he used to set it up, and found the following:

1. The link he used to support claim that Late night talk show ratings are falling, an article in the Hollywood reporter, actually said that Fallon’s ratings were falling while Colbert’s were basically flat, in an environment in which most TV ratings were falling.

2. The link supporting claim that “Others” are saying the problem with Late Night us a Trump obsession is from an article in the college newspaper of the University of Wisconsin from almost a year ago. And of course, if anything this claim is undermined by the article cited in support of point #1 (the show with the biggest Trump obsession has the best ratings, not the worst). 

3. The link supporting the claim that “Others” are saying the late night format is out of date is from something called *Mud Magazine*, a “pop culture hub for Gen-Z.” 

I’m not saying I necessarily disagree with any of these points, but I don’t find the support he provides persuasive. 

Well, I don’t agree with #1 as stated. Any think piece starting with the premise that any particular part of linear television is experiencing ratings decline greater than linear television overall really has to start with evidence that those ratings (whether for Late night TV, the Olympics, the Oscars, sitcoms, or the NBA playoffs) are in fact worse than some reliable measure of television ratings over all. Based on this article That basic premise does not seem to be true, late night ratings are not falling faster than television ratings over all (though maybe Jimmy Fallon’s are).

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Tom Wolper

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May 16, 2022, 11:15:09 AM5/16/22
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Whatever one thinks of TV execs they have to hit a rapidly moving target. Using the decisions made 7 years ago, let alone decisions made 30 years ago is a sure recipe for failure. Whatever CBS chooses to do with the show or the time slot, they should know they can’t replicate the past.

Kevin M.

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May 16, 2022, 11:41:00 AM5/16/22
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Reminds me of the Rome sequence of “History of the World: Part One.” 

“When you die at the Palace, you REALLY die at the Palace.”

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Kevin M. (RPCV)

PGage

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May 16, 2022, 1:03:21 PM5/16/22
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It is true that they can not assume that what worked in the past will work now, but I’m not sure that it’s true that what worked in the last will not work now. See, for example, the Primetime procedurals on  CBS, and the two Dick Wolf Nights on NBC. While technology and changing habits have led to a mass exodus among broadcast television viewers, the ones who remain tend to be old, and to still like about TV what they have always liked. And even though there are fewer of them, they still are a sizable and almost captive advertising audience for the right products.

What I think is really unlikely is to bet on any programming stunt or gimmick suddenly reversing long term trends and attracting those who have already left back to regular broadcast TV viewing.

Mark Jeffries

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May 16, 2022, 1:14:10 PM5/16/22
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Which seems to include--at least on Colbert--direct-response ads of the type I expect on subchannels, in the first break and with the Comcast "Smart Resume" stopping fast-forwarding when they come up.  If you saw Ronco, K-Tel and Popeil ads on Carson, they were in the local breaks.  Can I expect seeing Joe Namath, George Foreman and Jimmie "JJ Kid Dyno-Mite" Walker in the Colbert breaks pitching Medicare hotlines and Jen Spryka doing a billboard for Emeril's air fryer?

Mark Jeffries
spotl...@gmail.com


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Kevin M.

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May 16, 2022, 1:16:06 PM5/16/22
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While I do not always agree with Jay Leno, one thing he is right about is that late night viewership is determined almost entirely by the host. There are a handful of guests who cause a spike in the ratings, but find a host people not only want to watch but will go out of their way to watch and you have a hit late night series. The host doesn’t even have to be a good host. Leno couldn’t interview his way out of a paper bag, Letterman was frequently gruff,  and Corden is whatever the hell he is, but many people like to watch them. 

Finding a host that rings all the diversity bells is a noble quest, but if people of any race or gender don’t know them or like them, the chances of success are slim (not impossible: Conan). Prior to the recent awards show silliness, Wil Smith would’ve been a good choice. Dewayne Johnson, possibly. The Eilish kids as a duo might appeal to a younger crowd. 

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Tom Wolper

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May 16, 2022, 2:29:46 PM5/16/22
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One name that pops up in my head is Andy Cohen. He’s a known name and already has a following.

Bob Jersey

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May 16, 2022, 2:52:16 PM5/16/22
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Oh BTW, Stephen is back from his quarantine, so f'rinstance, Shaq's segment taking the Questionert ("You are now known!") will not be lost to history.

B

Mark Jeffries, engaging PGage and Tom Wolper, May 16th:

Dave Sikula

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May 17, 2022, 4:04:35 AM5/17/22
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I am reminded of nothing so much as the rant Chris Diamantopoulos's "Episodes" character went on that insisted that the only hope network TV had was utter chaos: that everything would be live and that there would be no regular scheduling; shows could appear any time with any cast and any plot elements, up to and including actors getting shot with actual guns on camera. "You think any actor is going to turn down a network gig, if the cost is only getting shot?" Audiences would tune in if only to not miss what was happening.

I don't think we're far from that.

--Dave Sikula

Bob Jersey

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May 17, 2022, 8:10:32 PM5/17/22
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I don't know about universal live-ness, but anything not live would be on-demand...    B

Dave Sikula, to PGage, May 17th:

Doug Eastick

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May 18, 2022, 8:27:55 AM5/18/22
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I love the show Episodes.

If anyone wants to borrow my "Betamax" copy of the whole run, send me a message offline.



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