‘But I don’t watch television!’ Keeping late-night comedy and political satire relevant for the audience

What happens when members of the audience no longer sit in front of the television to be entertained by a regular late-night comedy and political satire broadcasts, choosing instead to access information and entertainment content via social media? What must late-night comedy and political satire do to adapt and remain relevant for younger audiences who simply ‘don’t watch television’ anymore? The article begins by engaging with how members of Generation Z consume entertainment content, reflecting on findings from survey data and learnings from teaching undergraduates enrolled in entertainment, media, and politics classes during each new election cycle. A discussion of late-night comedy and political satire shows’ impact on the media narrative and agenda is privileged, along with a review of current adaptations late-night comedy shows are making to increase audience engagement. The manuscript concludes by offering a detailed list of suggested strategies to help late-night comedy and political satire remain relevant for members of Generation Z who possess far different media habits than their parents and grandparents. Overall, the research offers a path forward for traditional network late-night comedy and political satire programming so that it can stay relevant and engaging well into the twenty-first century.