• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, Yesterday

Despite the seemingly weak financial stability of late-night TV, advertising continues to bring value to brands because of their increased focus in one area: live TV.

To be specific, much of late-night celebrity-based talk is really “live to tape” programs, pre-recorded in the late afternoon. Overall, brands perceive there is still good value here -- for viewer engagement.

This may be one reason that Paramount/CBS hung on so long with “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Younger audiences were brought into the network fold with the hopes of attracting young-skewing brands in media packages alongside older-skewing CBS programming.

Paramount representatives said the show’s cancellation was due to financial considerations -- not comments about Paramount financial dealings and/or the Trump Administration.

Some might wonder if the actions of Disney-ABC Television’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” might have taken the same route -- extending the show's suspension much further, to cancellation.

For years, young-skewing advertisers have counted on late-night TV to be a must buy. Now digital platforms are a major diversion for those viewers and brands. And yet, linear TV can claim it still has the reach that advertising still cling to at times.

All this begs the question: What programming can come next? And is all late night “live” programming -- as a daypart, as a genre -- over with?

Guessing YouTube can take up the slack for live talk content, including that of its rising lineup of live video podcasts.

Right now, traditional late-night shows that start at 11:30 p.m. include the “Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”. Some might also add the show that airs earlier in the evening at 10 p.m.(ET) -- Fox News Channel show “Gutfeld!”

Whatever new genre might be produced, I’m sure the title will include an exclamation mark. Have some!

This story has been updated.