Story perspectives

Byron Allen’s CBS Slot Loses Viewers, Gains $15 M Profit

6/9/2026

Summary

Story summary

CBS aired Byron Allen’s “Comics Unleashed” after Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show,” drawing 6.7 million viewers, while Allen’s debut attracted 995,000 viewers and fell to 628,000 on June 1, an 85 percent decline.
Allen paid CBS $15 million for the time-buy slot, converting a $40 million loss into $15 million profit and saving $200 million in costs.
Critics called ratings drop a “disaster,” while Allen said financial gains outweigh loss and that he keeps all ad revenue.

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Story summary

CBS aired Byron Allen’s “Comics Unleashed” after Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show,” drawing 6.7 million viewers, while Allen’s debut attracted 995,000 viewers and fell to 628,000 on June 1, an 85 percent decline.
Allen paid CBS $15 million for the time-buy slot, converting a $40 million loss into $15 million profit and saving $200 million in costs.
Critics called ratings drop a “disaster,” while Allen said financial gains outweigh loss and that he keeps all ad revenue.