From Late Night to Anytime: How Podcasts Are Replacing Talk Shows

The era of spending evenings glued to the TV is fading. In recent years, late-night television has faced a steady decline in both viewership and profitability. In 2023, linear TV viewership fell below a 50% viewing share for the first time. Meanwhile, viewership for giants like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has seen a decrease of -16% among total viewers when comparing Q2 2025 to Q2 2024.

Today’s audiences are craving a more personal, portable medium that fits their busy lives, not the other way around. And they’ve found just that in podcasts. In fact, Taylor Swift’s appearance on the New Heights podcast set a Guinness World Record for the most concurrent views for a podcast on YouTube, raking in 1.3M live viewers. This phenomenon created a global conversation and proved that podcasts can be the most-consumed, must-catch entertainment on earth at any given moment. 

Dive into how podcasts are increasingly capturing late-night audiences and what’s driving this cultural shift.

Out with the Old, in with the New

The numbers tell a story of transitioning entertainment formats. Shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert just aren’t as profitable anymore (a loss of about $40M annually. This isn’t just a reflection of a single show’s performance but rather a systemic shift in how audiences consume media. The rigid, one-size-fits-all format of late-night TV is struggling to compete with on-demand media like podcasts—where personalization and convenience is paramount. 

Late-night veteran and comedy legend Conan O’Brien traded in the TV for podcasting, which has more than paid off long-term. His show Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend sees 5.4M monthly downloads, and his YouTube channel currently has 9M subscribers. As entertainment consumption shifts, creators must adapt, and it’s been proven that audiences will follow authentic, compelling talent wherever they go.

There's a New Sheriff in Town

That said, the cultural sparkle of late-night entertainment hasn’t vanished; it’s found a new home. While TV’s audience has decreased, podcast consumption is booming—with a +49% growth since 2020 and a hungry audience of 158M monthly listeners.

This year, we watched as the Call Her Daddy interview with former Bachelor star Rachael Kirkconnell became the #1 trending video on YouTube. And we took note of the +394% increase in the Nikki & Brie Show downloads following the season finale of The Traitors. Politicians are even increasingly taking to the mic, with parties from both sides of the aisle choosing long-form podcast interviews to reach voters. 

Why the Change?

What’s fueling this migration of audiences and creators from late-night TV to podcasts? Several key factors are at play:

• A move away from scheduled programming: Audiences, especially younger viewers, are ditching the “appointment television” model that requires them to tune in at a specific time. Instead, podcasts in audio and video formats offer the freedom of flexible, on-demand, on-the-go consumption that fits modern lifestyles 

• Desire for authenticity: Podcasts are perceived as a more genuine and trustworthy medium. Seven in 10 listeners value the authenticity of their favorite host, while listeners 18+ say podcasts are 9x more trustworthy than traditional TV. Audiences are looking for unscripted, honest conversations, and podcasts are delivering 

• Less input, more freedom: A traditional late-night show is a massive production, requiring a huge crew, network budget, and adherence to a strict format (like short-form interviews). In contrast, podcasts are nimble. A large team or budget isn’t needed to go viral, and creators have the freedom to experiment and speak directly to their audience

Podcasts Are Going Live 

With the shift from late-night TV to podcasts, the concept of a live audience is also getting redefined. Podcasts are no longer limited to a studio and mic. Live audiences are back, bigger than ever, and they’re attending live podcast tours. Sold-out arena shows for podcasts like SmartLess and Call Her Daddy are the new hot ticket, creating unforgettable nights for fans (and sponsors). 

This is the omnichannel power of modern audio. A podcast is so much more than a voice in your earbuds—it’s a full video experience on YouTube, a viral moment on social media, and a live event that brings a community together. This multi-platform dynamic is doing what late-night TV can’t easily replicate, rewriting what “live” means for creators and advertisers.

Your Ideal Podcast Partner = SiriusXM Media

Holding the Crown as the #1 Podcast Network

If your goal is to reach a broad (or specific) audience of podcast listeners, look no further. The SiriusXM Podcast Network is the #1 podcast network for adults over 18. And, if you’re seeking a specific niche audience rather than chasing volume, you’re more than likely to find them tuning in to our diverse network of over 2.5K shows. 

Topping the Charts 

When you work with us, you’re aligning with the biggest names in the game. We have nine shows in the top 20 most popular podcasts—more than any other network. Our lineup is packed with shows that don’t just top the ranks—they define the conversation. Fans are obsessed with hits like Crime Junkie, Dateline NBC, and SmartLess.

Leading the Industry for Reaching Women 

We’re not just the #1 podcast network for adults 18+, we’re also the #1 podcast network for reaching female listeners ages 18-49 and 25-54. With female-hosted hits like Morbid, Rotten Mango, and The Mel Robbins Podcast, it’s easy to see why.

Adapt to the Podcast Era with SiriusXM Media 

The shift from scheduled programming to on-demand content is more than a trend; it’s the new standard. Podcasts are creating a richer, more personal, and dynamic world of entertainment for listeners and viewers. And for brands, it’s an opportunity to reach a deeply engaged, ad-receptive audience and build meaningful connections. 

Ready to join the conversation? Let’s chat. 

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