‘Late Show’ will have fewer commercials tonight, thanks to Google sponsorship

Stephen Colbert will get an extra segment on his show tonight, funded by a sponsorship from Google.

Variety reports that CBS and Google have struck a deal that will reduce commercial time on Colbert’s Late Show. He’ll fill that extra time with a new segment (it’s not clear where it will fall during the show, or what the content will be), which he’ll introduce with a plug Google’s new smart doorbell: “More Show Presented by: Google’s Nest Hello video doorbell.”

In some ways, this might just feel like the latest twist on the old-school TV sponsorship, but it also helps advertisers reach audiences who might otherwise skip through the commercials, or who watch the show through digital platforms like Google-owned YouTube (where the Late Show has been surging).

And again, it should mean more Colbert and less advertising for viewers.

Jo Ann Ross, president and chief advertising officer at CBS, told Variety that this is “just the beginning”: “We will continue to work with the show, and across all of our dayparts, to innovate and expand on what we offer our advertisers.”

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