In a move that has stunned the media world and sent shockwaves through Hollywood and newsrooms alike, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert have declared the birth of an uncensored “Truth News” channel — a joint venture that marks the first time two of late-night television’s biggest rivals have stood shoulder to shoulder to walk away from their networks entirely.
The announcement came during a surprise joint livestream on January 20, 2026, broadcast from a nondescript studio in Los Angeles. What began as backlash over Kimmel’s on-air remarks following the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk has escalated into a full-scale media revolution. “We’re done playing by their rules,” Kimmel said, his tone calm but resolute. Colbert, seated beside him, added: “This isn’t about left or right. It’s about truth without gatekeepers.”
The two hosts — long seen as ideological opposites — revealed they have been quietly negotiating an exit from ABC and CBS for months. Kimmel’s contract with Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Colbert’s with The Late Show both expire in mid-2026, and neither intends to renew. Instead, they are launching “Truth News,” a subscription-based streaming platform and daily digital broadcast that promises “no filters, no scripts from corporate, no censors, no sacred cows.” The channel will feature long-form interviews, investigative segments, live debates, and unedited commentary on politics, culture, and current events — a direct challenge to the sanitized formats of traditional late-night and cable news.
The catalyst, according to insiders, was a series of internal network notes and executive demands that both men say increasingly restricted their ability to speak freely. Kimmel’s comments on Kirk’s passing — calling for “honest reflection” rather than partisan celebration — reportedly triggered a wave of network pushback. Colbert, who has clashed repeatedly with CBS over political segments, saw the moment as the final straw. “We realized we were no longer hosts — we were employees reading approved lines,” Colbert said in the livestream. “That ends now.”
The partnership has left both networks scrambling. ABC and CBS issued brief statements expressing “respect” for the hosts’ decisions but declining further comment on contract negotiations or future programming. Industry analysts estimate the move could cost each network hundreds of millions in ad revenue and brand value. Meanwhile, streaming platforms and independent media outlets are watching closely — some already offering partnerships or infrastructure support to the new venture.
Fan reaction has been electric and deeply divided. #TruthNewsChannel trended worldwide within hours, amassing over 2.5 million posts. Supporters hailed it as “the most daring late-night move in history” and “a blow to corporate censorship.” Critics accused the duo of “grifting off outrage” and questioned whether an uncensored platform would devolve into echo chambers.
The first “Truth News” broadcast is slated for late March 2026, with both hosts promising daily episodes and no advertiser or network oversight. “This isn’t about taking sides,” Kimmel said in closing. “It’s about letting people hear the whole story — even the parts that make everyone uncomfortable.”
Whether Truth News becomes a revolutionary new voice or a short-lived experiment remains to be seen. What is certain is this: two giants of late-night television have just declared war on the system that made them famous — and the battle for control of the narrative has officially begun.
The media landscape may never be the same.
