Star-Studded Support for Stephen Colbert on 'The Late Show'

CBS, originally founded in 1927 as the Columbia Broadcasting System, is a major American media company known primarily for its commercial broadcasting, television production, and publishing activities. It began as a radio network established by talent agent Arthur Judson but was soon acquired by William S. Paley, who transformed it into a dominant force in radio by leveraging advertising revenue through large audiences[1][5]. CBS expanded into television early, launching experimental broadcasts in 1931 and pioneering the first color TV broadcast in 1940 from its Chrysler Building transmitter in New York City[1][2]. The network became a leader in television entertainment and news through the mid-20th century, with iconic programs and personalities such as Ed Sullivan, Lucille Ball, and Walter Cronkite contributing to its popularity[3]. CBS also innovated in network news with the Columbia News Service, led by Edward R. Murrow, which established its reputation for serious journalism in the 1930s and 1940s[2]. Throughout its history, CBS diversified into related sectors like recording (Columbia Records) and publishing but eventually refocused on broadcasting and entertainment. It underwent several corporate transformations, including a merger with Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1995, adoption of the CBS Corporation name, and acquisition by Viacom in 2000. After splitting from Viacom in 2005 and operating independently, CBS re-merged with Viacom in 2019 to form ViacomCBS, which was renamed Paramount Global in 2022. In 2025, CBS became the flagship network of the newly formed Paramount Skydance Corporation following an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media[3][4]. Today, CBS remains a key player in American media, known for its broad programming reach, influential news division, and historical significance in radio and television innovation. Its long-standing presence and adaptability in business and technology make it a cornerstone of the broadcasting industry. CBS’s leadership under President and CEO George Che

The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is the oldest major broadcast network in the United States, founded in 1926 by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), a subsidiary of General Electric (GE) at the time. Originally established as a pioneering radio network, NBC was the first permanent full-service national radio network in the U.S., beginning with a landmark four-hour broadcast that reached 2.5 million homes and subsequently producing the first coast-to-coast radio broadcast with the 1927 Rose Bowl game[1][3][4]. NBC played a key role in the development of broadcast media, transitioning from radio to television. It demonstrated television technology publicly at the 1939 New York World’s Fair and launched its first commercial TV station license in 1941. The network introduced innovations such as the first televised World Series (1947), the first color television program (1953), and iconic shows including *The Tonight Show* (1954) and *Saturday Night Live* (1975). NBC's signature three-chime audio logo, first used in radio, became a trademarked sound symbolic of the network’s identity[1][3][4][6]. Historically, NBC operated two radio networks—NBC Red and NBC Blue—until regulatory actions forced RCA to divest the Blue network, which became the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the early 1940s[2]. In the 1980s, NBC struggled in ratings but recovered under strategic leadership to dominate TV ratings with popular sitcoms like *Cheers*, *The Cosby Show*, *Seinfeld*, and *Friends*, and dramas such as *Law & Order* and *ER*[6]. NBC expanded into cable television early, launching CNBC—focused on business news—and MSNBC in partnership with Microsoft, offering round-the-clock news programming to compete with CNN[1]. Today, NBC is part of NBCUniversal, owned by Comcast, continuing to build on its legacy of innovation in broadcast and cable media,

The **New York Post** is a prominent American daily tabloid newspaper based in New York City, known for its conservative editorial stance and wide-reaching influence in media and politics. Founded in 1801 by Alexander Hamilton, the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury and a key Founding Father, the paper originally began as the *New-York Evening Post*, a respected broadsheet aligned with Federalist values. Hamilton and his fellow Federalist investors launched the publication partly to counter the rising Democratic-Republican Party. Over the 19th century, under editors like William Cullen Bryant, it gained significant repute[1][2][3]. Transitioning to a tabloid format mid-20th century under owner Dorothy Schiff, the Post adopted a more populist and sensational style. In 1976, media mogul Rupert Murdoch acquired the paper for $30.5 million, marking a notable shift not only in ownership but in the paper’s editorial direction toward conservatism. Under Murdoch's News Corp and its successor, News Corp, the Post expanded its reach, operating influential online platforms such as NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and Decider.com focused on entertainment[1][3][4]. Today, the New York Post ranks as the third-largest U.S. newspaper by print circulation and remains a significant voice in American media, especially in New York City. It has a reputation for bold headlines and coverage that intersects with politics, business, and culture. Notably, in 2020, its controversial publication of the Hunter Biden laptop story underscored its role in shaping political discourse, despite debate over media suppression of the story on social platforms[1]. Despite interruptions in publication during strikes in 1958 and 1978, the Post claims to be the oldest daily newspaper in the U.S., though The Providence Journal is recognized as the oldest continuously published daily paper. The Post's blend of historical legacy, tabloid style, and digital expansion