Allen, a comedian and media executive who owns a TV station group and the Weather Channel, notes his projects are designed to minimize dependence on current events and endure over time.

CBS will replace The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in the 11:35 p.m. slot starting May 22 with Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen, followed by Funny You Should Ask in the same block.

Allen’s programs tend to avoid politics, reducing potential controversy in the current environment.

CBS announced last summer that The Late Show franchise would end after more than three decades, citing a purely financial decision unrelated to show performance or content.

Byron Allen expressed gratitude for CBS’s confidence in the two-hour comedy block and emphasized the demand for laughter as his shows move into the 11:35 p.m. hour.

A time buy is a standard industry practice where a network sells airtime to an outside producer rather than filling the slot with its own programming.

The move is presented as a major cost-saving measure for CBS, with Allen paying CBS for the time slots and covering production costs, while CBS sells most commercial units.

Paramount notes the move reflects a broader strategy toward lower-cost programming for broadcast, signaling a profitability challenge for traditional late-night formats.

Comics Unleashed guests bring their own material; the show can provide exposure for comedians, though Allen sometimes writes some jokes.

CBS cites declining advertising revenue, high production costs, and a shift to streaming as factors behind not renewing The Late Show, despite Colbert’s show being the top-rated program in its slot.

Overall, the piece documents a major shift in late-night programming at CBS, detailing the time-buy deal with Byron Allen and the implications for CBS’s revenues and affiliates.

Both new shows are produced by Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, with Allen serving as executive producer on both programs.