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Paul Ryan's avatar

I pretty much agree. I don’t think any of those chat shows get much social media traction/discourse anymore.

Do I want “branded content” like Hot Wings to be the way forward for chat content? Personally no, but that gets attention and conversation in ways the broadcast chat shows haven’t for years.

If this isn’t the tipping point for the broadcast nets to realise they need to prioritise streaming and social media video, I hate to imagine what will be. When one of the long running reality shows gets axed? When the demographic for daytime soaps has completely aged out and died?

Anyway, I hope this frees up Colbert to do something more interesting.

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Dan Barrett's avatar

What is probably worth considering is that Hot Ones, once you get past the premise, often has its host asking more probing, meaningful questions of its guests than most late night talk shows. There's an intimacy formed with the audience and trappings of late night shows stripped away.

Feather-light, shallow conversation on late night shows make sense for an audience falling asleep on their couches at 11:30pm, but when we are now talking about these same shows being required for next-day on-demand watching of clips or whatever, more substantial interviews/conversations are sought.

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