Movies

NBC cuts ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ to four nights a week

BBG News

As a seasoned movie buff with decades of television viewing under my belt, I must say that the evolution of late-night TV is both fascinating and a bit melancholic. The Tonight Show, a staple since 1954, is now trimming down its episodes, a clear sign of changing times.

The viewership for late-night television shows is declining, and also, the number of episodes per week for the flagship program within this format is decreasing.

Jimmy Fallon’s “The Tonight Show on NBC” will air four new episodes each week rather than five, starting with the upcoming fall TV season.

During the summer, Fallon’s show ran four times a week, just like other late-night programs such as NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, and Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.

As an enthusiastic observer, I can’t help but share some exciting news I’ve heard whispers about. It seems that the show is planning to maintain its summer schedule in the future. Although an NBC representative declined to comment officially, a well-informed source has confirmed this intriguing detail.

The Tonight Show” is known as the pioneer of the desk-and-sofa format, first airing in 1954 with Steve Allen as the host. It reached its peak of cultural influence during Johnny Carson’s 30-year run. Since then, it has consistently aired five days a week in New York, with Jimmy Fallon taking over from Jay Leno in 2014.

For many years, late-night talk shows have been a financially prosperous format for television networks. Hosts often earned salaries nearing $30 million annually. These shows were particularly attractive to advertisers due to their ability to target younger audiences effectively.

However, television programs have had to make changes to their budgets because the shift towards online streaming has significantly decreased their viewership numbers over time.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve come across numerous beloved late-night hosts primarily due to clips of their segments that circulate on social media platforms like YouTube.

Over time, the prevailing patterns have resulted in financial restrictions being imposed across various fields. Following Trevor Noah’s exit from “The Daily Show” in 2022, the program employed temporary hosts for a significant period before welcoming back Jon Stewart once a week. On other days, correspondents from “The Daily Show” take turns as hosts.

Earlier this year, NBC cut the live band that was long a part of “Late Night With Seth Meyers.”

As NBC works on cutting expenses, they’ve secured long-term contracts (up until 2028) with both Fallon and Meyers, ensuring they will continue in their positions during this period.

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2024-09-07 14:33

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