Canadian Networks Could Save Kimmel & Late Night TV
In a shock move, Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been indefinitely suspended, in response to Kimmel’s comments about Charlie Kirk – but while controversy about this decision rages, there is space for another network to swoop in. The announcement of Kimmel’s suspension is being taken as an effective cancellation, and came almost as the show was about to film. Guests were already in their makeup, and the studio audience was reportedly about to enter when the show was pulled.
This announcement has sparked serious concerns about censorship and freedom of speech in the US, especially with speculation that this is the work of President Donald Trump (who has made no secret of his opinion on several late night hosts). Kimmel being picked up by another US network is possible – but unlikely, as any other US network would deal with the same issues that caused ABC to make the decision. However, this does not necessarily mean the end for Kimmel, as traditional network TV may not be the only space for him.
The Late Night Cancellations, Explained
Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel standing on stage together
Kimmel’s show was pulled over parent company ABC’s concerns about his commentary, which included comparing Donald Trump to “a four year old mourning a goldfish”. Trump, unsurprisingly, celebrated the decision in a social media post:
Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT
He is not the only person who is thrilled at the news, either. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr made comments immediately before the ABC announcement slamming Kimmel’s comments, and threatening FCC action over them. Following the suspension, he spoke about the need for shows to be in “the public interest”.
This news comes painfully quickly after the cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, announced in May, which Trump also celebrated on his social media. Even more concerning, a post from the President in July stated, “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next”. Since the announcement of Colbert’s cancellation, there has been significant speculation that Donald Trump is behind these network decisions, using influence on the FCC to sway networks (especially in light of pending mergers and decisions that require FCC approval).
Given that Trump’s post calls out Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon, there is real concern that these two remaining late night hosts will find themselves without a show in the near future. Fallon has reportedly signed a multi-year contract, but Meyers has already spoken about his fears for the future in a podcast:
I shifted from fearing that I wouldn’t be good enough, and now, my fear is weirdly more outside of my control, which is at some point, the ecosystem might not support it.
Canada Has The Ultimate Elbows Up Opportunity – If A Canadian Network Picks Up The Show
It’s unlikely that another US Network will pick up Kimmel, but there is also potential for something entirely new to happen – with a Canadian network scooping the show, and creating a deal to air it on one of the big streaming services. At the moment, Citytv is the Canadian rights holder of the late-night show – and unlike US networks, does not answer to the FCC.
In addition, the relationship between the US and Canada at the moment is distinctly frosty; the result of an ongoing tariff war, and Donald Trump’s referral to the ‘Governor’ of Canada (rather than the Prime Minister) and his comments about the possibility of Canada becoming the “51st state”. These comments have been roundly rejected by Canadian politicians, who have been clear that Canada is “not for sale”. The phrase ‘Elbows Up’ has become a slogan for Canadian (and sometimes, anti-American) values in Canada, which would make the acquisition of Jimmy Kimmel Live! a beautifully pointed way to show where Canadian media stands.
Canadians are also big fans of US late night TV – there are no real late night hosts that compare to Kimmel, Colbert, Meyers, and Fallon, but Canadian viewers tune in to these hosts on a regular basis. In July, Late Night With Stephen Colbert topped the charts for overall demand from Canadian viewers, according to PlaybackOnline, with The Daily Show and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon also landing in the Top 10.
Clearly, there is an audience, and a political point to be made, should CityTV (or any other Canadian network) decide to take on canceled US hosts.
Canadian Shows Are Increasingly Available On Streaming Services – Which Have Been Home To Late-Night Style Shows Before
It would make little sense for a Canadian network to take on a late-night show if a US audience was unable to access it – however, there is significant precedent for Canadian television to air on streaming services in the US, which would provide a neat solution to the problem. In fact, this may solve some other problems that late-night shows have been experiencing, beyond concerns around potential censorship.
Canadian shows like Schitt’s Creek, Sullivan’s Crossing, North Of North, and Shoresey have all found success on streaming services in recent years, with Schitt’s Creek being the obvious standout hit. It’s increasingly common for Canadian networks to partner with global streaming services to allow their original programming to find viewers online, and these existing partnerships open an easy avenue to continue airing Kimmel.
This would also not be the first time that a late-night style show aired on a streamer. Hasan Minaj’s Patriot Act was a similar format to traditional late-night shows, although the series was more of a news-comedy show on a Ted-Talk set, rather than focusing on the guests that other late-night shows do. The show, and its multi-season run (and the petition that followed its cancellation) prove that there is space for this style of show on Netflix.
In addition, the ever-growing popularity of streaming services could open up a far greater audience than traditional networks. While there is plenty to say about Trump and the FCC’s influence on recent cancellations, there is also no denying that viewership of late-night shows is on the decline. A fresh approach that doesn’t tie these phenomenal talk shows to a specific time, and that makes them available for a wider (and global) audience, may be exactly what the format needs to survive.
There Are Some Practical Issues With A Canadian Late Night Takeover
Seth Meyers on Late Night With Seth Meyers
The core issue with the idea of Kimmel (or any other canceled late-night show) moving to a Canadian network is location-based. The show would almost undoubtedly have to move filming to one of the industry hubs in Canada (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal), and while some American actors do live most of the year in Canada while filming, it’s a major barrier to others, even leading to them being written out of a show (like Calista Flockhart, who left Supergirl because she was unwilling to leave LA).
Another consideration is that any streaming service that aired Kimmel, in particular, would be publicly thumbing their nose at the President – a risk that may not outweigh the benefits of airing the show. This would also mean potentially alienating Republican subscribers, which make up a significant portion of the customer base. While streaming services tend to have a skew in viewership toward Democrats in the US, at least compared to traditional networks, the skew may not be dramatic enough to make a difference.
Netflix, for example, was used by 68% of democrats in 2023, according to Statista, while Republicans were more likely to favor Paramount+. Netflix’s global audience also means that a significant proportion of viewers have no affiliation with any US political party, unlike US networks, which have an almost exclusively US audience. This doesn’t mean, however, that Republican opinion is unimportant to Netflix, and it remains a US-based company.
A Likely Move, Or Pure Speculation? Kimmel’s Future Is Uncertain
At the moment, any discussion of a move to Canadian network TV is pure speculation. While there are certainly strong arguments for the move (and precedent for this kind of partnership to happen), at the moment, Kimmel isn’t even officially canceled, which would make any new ownership impossible.
It’s also possible that the show could be reinstated by ABC. The news has resulted in strong condemnation from many, including the Writer’s Guild of America, who in a statement said:
If free speech applied only to ideas we like, we needn’t have bothered to write it into the Constitution. What we have signed on to — painful as it may be at times — is the freeing agreement to disagree. Shame on those in government who forget this founding truth.
The strength of this reaction may be enough to force a reversal, however, at the moment, it seems more likely that other late-night hosts will follow. And while there is nothing official to suggest that Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the rest may find a new home up North, it would be a game-changer if they did.
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