New York Gov. Kathy Hochul\u2019s office says CBS\u2019 sudden cancellation of \u201cThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert\u201d will cost hundreds of local jobs \u2014 about a decade after the state wagered $16 million to keep the show in New York City.<\/p>\n
Colbert announced<\/a> the cancellation of \u201cThe Late Show\u201d in front of a live audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway Thursday evening. The segment was later broadcast to the millions of viewers who watch the show every night.<\/p>\n Colbert, who has hosted the show since 2015, said its final episode will air in May, adding that he had only been informed about the cancellation on Wednesday.<\/p>\n CBS and its parent company Paramount did not reach out to the state before announcing its decision, according to Hochul\u2019s office.<\/p>\n New York state gave CBS $16 million in tax breaks and grants in 2014 to keep “The Late Show” in New York amid the transition from the show\u2019s founding host, David Letterman, to Colbert. That included $5 million to restore the historic Ed Sullivan Theater, where the show is taped.<\/p>\n Hochul \u201cwill continue doing everything she can\u201d to support the film and television industry in the state, a spokesperson for her office said.<\/p>\n “The loss of \u2018The Late Show with Stephen Colbert\u2019 is more than just the end of a television show,\u201d spokesperson Kristin Devoe said when contacted by Gothamist. \u201cIt means the loss of hundreds of good-paying production jobs, lost income for dozens of vendors, and a hit to the local businesses that rely on the show\u2019s daily audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who had appeared on Thursday\u2019s show, denounced any \u201cpolitical reasons\u201d that would have led to the cancellation.<\/p>\n Paramount is seeking the Trump administration\u2019s approval for an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. CBS also recently agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit<\/a> claiming \u201c60 Minutes\u201d deceptively edited an interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris.<\/p>\n In a statement, Paramount said the cancellation was \u201cpurely a financial decision.\u201d The network declined to comment further.<\/p>\n \u201cOur admiration, affection and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult,\u201d the company wrote.<\/p>\n Jon Campbell contributed reporting.<\/p>\n