David Letterman raises concerns over shrinking space for late-night voices

Veteran broadcaster David Letterman has raised concerns about the future stability of late-night television, suggesting that while the format is not disappearing entirely, individual shows may struggle to survive in an increasingly shifting media landscape.

The 79-year-old former Late Show host shared his perspective in an interview with The New York Times, as the industry prepares for the conclusion of Stephen Colbert’s run on The Late Show, which CBS is set to end in May.

Letterman noted that established names such as Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers continue to keep the genre alive, but warned that its structure may be under long-term pressure.

“We still have Jimmy. We still have Seth,” he said. “It’s not completely dead on arrival, but I would be surprised if it lasts more than a year or so.”

He later clarified that while specific programs may fade, the broader concept of late-night conversation television is unlikely to vanish.

“Maybe specific shows,” Letterman added. “I don’t think it’ll ever go away because it’s just the best. It’s humans talking to humans.”

Reflecting on his own departure from CBS, Letterman described a final moment that left a lasting impression, though not a positive one.

“The band had barely quit playing and they dismantled the set and there were dumpsters on 53rd Street,” he recalled.

“As I walked out of the building, I saw the detritus and the debris of my life at CBS being tossed into the dumpster. That’s not a pleasant memory.”

Colbert, who succeeded Letterman in 2015, announced in 2025 that CBS would be ending The Late Show, with its final episode scheduled for May.

At the time, he emphasized that the decision was not about replacement but closure of the franchise itself.

“This is all just going away,” Colbert said, while thanking both the network and the show’s global audience.

Letterman has previously expressed concern about the shrinking number of platforms willing to support politically engaged late-night voices.

Speaking on The Barbara Gaines Show, he said, “We’re running out of places where you hear those voices.”

Despite his concerns, Letterman has also made clear that he is comfortable being out of the daily demands of late-night television, saying earlier this year that he is “so glad to be out from under this mess,” while praising current hosts for continuing the tradition.