What Channel Is Colbert On in the United States
The primary broadcast channel for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is CBS, where the program airs live from the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City on weeknights at 11:35 PM Eastern Time. CBS is owned by Paramount Global, and the show is produced by CBS Studios in partnership with Spartina Productions and Jon Stewart's Busboy Productions. The program reaches over 2 million average nightly viewers in the United States, making it a leading late-night talk show by total audience among adults 18-49 on broadcast television. For live access, viewers can tune to their local CBS affiliate or stream the show on Paramount+ with the Showtime add-on, which provides same-day streaming after the broadcast. The show is also available on the CBS app and authenticated TV Everywhere platforms linked to cable subscriptions.
In terms of channel lineup, CBS is carried by virtually all major cable and satellite providers in the US, including Comcast Xfinity, Charter Spectrum, Dish Network, and DirecTV. Over-the-air viewers can pick up CBS on antenna in most markets on channel 2 or a subchannel depending on the local station. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is also rebroadcast in reruns on Comedy Central, which is part of the same Paramount Global portfolio, though the initial broadcast remains on CBS. The show's production facilities are located at the Ed Sullivan Theater in Manhattan, and episodes are filmed before a live studio audience on Monday through Thursday evenings. According to recent public data, the program remains the highest-rated late-night show in the US in the key demographic of adults 18-49.
Streaming and On-Demand Access for Colbert Episodes
Paramount+ is the primary streaming home for full episodes of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, with new episodes available the day after broadcast for subscribers on the Essential plan and earlier for Showtime add-on users. The platform also hosts a library of classic episodes, interviews, and viral clips from the series. In addition, short-form highlights and segments are distributed on YouTube through the official CBS late-night channels, where clips frequently receive millions of views within hours of airing. The show is also available on Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, and Fubo, which carry the CBS live broadcast as part of their channel packages. These services provide an alternative to traditional cable for cord-cutters who want to watch Colbert live or on demand without a satellite dish.
For international viewers, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is available on Paramount+ in select regions, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and parts of Europe and Latin America. In Canada, the show airs on Global and is streamable on Crave, which holds the Canadian streaming rights for CBS content. In the United Kingdom, the program is available on Paramount+ UK and was previously simulcast on Channel 5, though scheduling and availability may vary. The show's global distribution is managed by Paramount Global Distribution, and episodes are typically available for international streaming within 24 hours of the US broadcast. Viewers outside the US should check their local Paramount+ or CBS-affiliated streaming service for current availability and licensing terms.
Network Ownership, Production Details, and Key Facts
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is produced by CBS Studios, Spartina Productions, and Busboy Productions, with Jon Stewart serving as executive producer alongside Colbert and other show executives. The program is filmed at Studio 57 in the Ed Sullivan Theater, a historic venue on Broadway in New York City that has hosted late-night programming since the 1950s. CBS, the network that airs the show, is a division of Paramount Global, a publicly traded company headquartered in New York City with operations spanning television, film, streaming, and publishing. The network's late-night lineup, which includes The Late Show and the earlier Late Late Show, is a cornerstone of its entertainment programming and a major driver