CBS abandons plan to prevent Colbert clip distribution
CBS recently halted its enforcement of copyright takedown notices for a 2023 episode of the public‑access program “Only in Monroe” that featured former CBS host Stephen Colbert. The episode aired the day after Colbert concluded a final 33‑year run on “The Late Show.”
The network had originally issued removal requests to sites that uploaded clips from the Monroe episode, a standard practice for CBS. CBS later announced it would pause further takedowns while reviewing the situation.
The boycott began after social‑media users began sharing the episode and received copyright alerts from Paramount, CBS’s parent company. A journalist on X reported that Paramount had rescinded its claims, and CBS stated that the Monroe program was financed and produced by CBS Studios in partnership with Monroe Community Media and was posted to Colbert’s YouTube channel.
Colbert’s final monologue on “The Late Show” previewed his appearance on “Only in Monroe.” The episode was filmed in Monroe, Michigan, the same city where Colbert’s first network appearance occurred in 2015.
CBS affirmed that the decision to cancel “The Late Show” and the subsequent handling of the Monroe episode were unrelated to political factors. The network will conduct an additional review before resuming copyright enforcement.