Comedy Central had hoped to come to a decision about a new “Daily” host as soon as May, in time to talk to advertisers during the industry’s annual “upfront” marketplace, when TV networks try to sell the bulk of their commercial time for their next cycle of programming. Some executives involved with the show wanted to continue testing new talent, buoyed by the fact that shows featuring guest hosts earned a ratings uptick.
But the writers strike may have delayed those plans. Indeed, CBS had hoped to launch a new show at 12:30 a.m. this fallThe strike has altered that timetable as well, according to people familiar with the matter. TV’s late-night programs continue to generate discussion and the threads of popular culture. But the longer shows like NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” remain dark, the more risk there is of viewers in the era of streaming video making permanent changes to their consumption habits.
Some of the hosts seem eager to get back to their wee-hours antics. Jimmy Fallon has been spotted on social media making segments about cooking, for example. NBC’s listings for repeats of its “Late Night with Seth Meyers” often include a nod to the writers behind segments of each rebroadcast. Naming a new host for “Daily Show” would no doubt raise new interest in the program ahead of any post-strike return.