US Late-Night Shows to Skip Live Election Coverage

Major US late-night television programs are reportedly planning to move away from live election night broadcasts for the first time in 24 years. This shift marks a departure from the trend established in 2002 when Jon Stewart took “The Daily Show” live to cover midterm returns.

According to reports, NBC will not air “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” or “Late Night With Seth Meyers” on election Tuesday, opting instead to preempt them with live news coverage. ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is expected to tape a new episode that includes early reactions to East Coast results, but it will not air live on the West Coast to capture final outcomes.

Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” is also expected to tape its Tuesday episode before polls close in New York. This change follows the earlier cancellation of CBS’ “The Late Show,” which previously featured live midterm coverage by Stephen Colbert. The decision comes during a high-stakes midterm cycle that could impact Republican control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.