If you’re like me, you missed late-night shows during the U.S. writers and actors strikes. And though you moved on to other things during the summer, you were looking forward to seeing topical comedy again when they came back.
You might have tuned to CTV at 12:05am and seen another Big Bang Theory rerun and wondered how long it would be until The Daily Show resumed production. And then you might have been confused when you learned they had been producing new episodes for weeks.
Unfortunately, you won’t be seeing The Daily Show again on CTV, or CTV Comedy, any time soon. Bell Media has dropped the show.
When I asked about it, this is the entirety of the response I received from Bell:
I can confirm that Bell Media is no longer carrying THE DAILY SHOW.
I didn’t get a reply to follow-up questions, including the obvious “why?”
A convenient hole-filler
The existence of The Daily Show on CTV, and its popularity among Canadians, probably has as much to do with a scheduling quirk as anything else.
For decades, CTV’s schedule in most markets consists of prime-time programming mainly imported from the U.S. between 8 and 11pm, followed by CTV National News until 11:30 and then late local news until 12:05am. Because the CRTC set Canadian content rules defining prime time as 6pm-12am, the schedule made sense from a regulatory perspective. The more Canadian content (including news) you put in 6-8pm and 11pm-12am, the more U.S. imports you can put in 8-11pm.
After midnight, the rules are different and U.S. imports can come back in. But the two big late-night shows, NBC’s The Tonight Show and CBS’s The Late Show, both start at 11:35pm. ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live started at midnight but now it too has moved to 11:35.
As a half-hour show, The Daily Show could fill a gap between the 12:05am end of the local news and the 12:35am start of the late-late shows. And during the post-9/11 Jon Stewart era, it gained popularity in both countries.
Now, for whatever reason, Bell has decided it no longer makes sense. Not because schedules have changed, but probably because of money.
The Daily Show isn’t what it was under Stewart. Besides Stewart himself, top talent have moved on to other shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert or Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Since Trevor Noah’s departure a year ago, it has had a parade of fill-in hosts.
Meanwhile, The Big Bang Theory is cheap and reruns are very popular in Canada. So for now, at least, CTV is going in that direction.
The Daily Show wasn’t part of CTV’s fall schedule announcement in the summer, which means the decision not to keep it probably dates to at least then.
Where can I watch it?
So if CTV no longer has the rights to the Daily Show, where can Canadians watch it?
The short answer is you can’t. At least not yet. It’s not on a competing network, it’s not on Netflix or Amazon. Your only option to watch it legally is to buy individual episodes on Apple TV.
UPDATE: Thanks to Chris for pointing this out — Paramount+ Canada is adding The Daily Show starting Dec. 5. Comedy Central is owned by Paramount.
There wasn’t another obvious home for The Daily Show on regular Canadian TV. Global has The Late Show, Citytv has Jimmy Kimmel, and there isn’t really another non-Bell-owned comedy channel it would be a good fit for.
UPDATE (Jan. 23, 2024): Some people have noticed The Daily Show disappearing from Paramount+. I asked Paramount about it, and they said “The Daily Show does not currently have new episodes which is why none are currently appearing on Paramount+, stay tuned for more information.”
YouTube blackout
Fans of Seth Meyers may have noticed there aren’t as many clips of his late night show on YouTube as there used to be. Unfortunately the clips are there, they just are being blocked in Canada, along with those of the Tonight Show. Both are Bell-licensed NBC shows. It’s unclear if this is at Bell’s request, to protect its rights, or if it’s NBC’s doing, cutting off non-U.S. countries. The Daily Show has the same problem, with just a handful of YouTube clips not being restricted here.
My questions to Bell on this subject did not elicit a response.
Fortunately, Seth Meyers clips are being posted to Facebook and those are still accessible here, and Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show is posting clips (mostly vertical, cuz the youths) to social media as well.
Thanks for clearing up something that has been bewildering me for weeks! How frustrating.
Hey Steve, The Daily Show is coming to Paramount+ in December: https://mobilesyrup.com/2023/11/24/new-on-paramount-canada-december-2023/
Thanks!
Never happened. It’s not there on Paramount+
I agree that I also can not find it on Paramount +. Jon Stewart is going to host on Mondays for the entire election cycle. people need access to this show. hoping it shows up as promised. but as of right now, I can’t find it.
It’s gone. Fantastic. It hasn’t been funny since Obama took office. How about CFCF-DT go back to showing midnight movies. Or X-Files reruns at midnight.
The cost of licensing movies (at least popular ones) has also gone up with the growth of streaming services. And I don’t think X-Files reruns would have the same audience as The Big Bang Theory, plus the practicality that X-Files was an hour-long program and CTV airs Seth Meyers at 12:35.
I think CTV and its affiliates show reruns of The Big Bang Theory too often. I find most of the jokes not funny and the extra-loud laugh track can be annoying.
Seth Meyers clips seems to be available once again.
Seth’s clips are accessible once again on YouTube this week, and he even called out the situation on the show tonight, saying the videos are back and thanking CTV for airing their shows “in their entirety on theiir network”. Reading between the lines, it seems CTV must have gotten a lot of complaints about the clips being blocked…
I really miss the daily show ?
Nice work bell media ?
I think all those big TV companies are insulting Canadian Audience. Just shut them up , “they watch anything”
and that idea Canadian Content? what a heck is Canadian Content, Canadians All former emigrants like me wants to watch what is good not some idiotic sitcoms 24 a day Please CTV , Bell Media , get a life and smell the coffee, Even Tim Horton started to sell blueberry fritters again, because they taste good , Hasta la Vista Baby !
Will CTV bring back the Daily Show when Jon Stewart comes back on Feb 12? I hope we get to see it here in Canada
No. Still Paramount+ exclusive.
It is truly disappointing that I cannot watch The Daily Show in Canada anymore. I watched it faithfully every night. I’m sure it’ must have had great ratings in Canada. Come on Bell Media. Bring back The Daily Show. I really like The Big Band Theory but, I agree it is overplayed.
Why is Bell such an awful corporation?
I went looking for it, knowing that Jon Stewart would be back on Mondays. So annoying!
Hope someone changes their mind now that they’ve announced that John Stewart will make a return to the show, alas only on Monday.
So frustrating. I hate Bell. Tried looking for it on Paramount+ but can’t find it there either. Bell…. don’t bother coming to my door to sell me Fibe. Not happening.
Would like to see the daily show put back in tv again
Very disappointing that Bell has dropped The Daily Show. They have no idea what Canadians want to watch. This is where i went to get intelligent non partisan news on how the US population continues to disappear down the ” rabbit holes ” that plague their nation.
Anyone associated with BELL MEDIA program scheduling can become an instant Canadian workplace HERO . PLEASE Advise the Head Honcho of program schedule and guide lineups to Quickly reinstate Airing THE DAILY SHOW ASAP…Jon Stewart is back baby and the rather large Canadian viewership who have been faithfully following the Show since CTV began airing it when Jon first took it over are anxiously awaiting to be joined by the many new watchers when it is brought back to its after midnight timeslot or earlier on the CTV Comedy network .. This satirical look at news is a vital necessity , Do Not make us have to petition in order to Do the right thing and get this program back from premature cancelation and ON-AIR Pronto…In typical True Canadian fashion We Respectfully ask this of BELL CORP. Please & ThankYou CHEERS ?
Yes..Bring it back.
Hey Bell, I hope you choke on profits and the hate of people who really enjoy watching the daily show.
The CRTC needs to strip all broadcast licences from Bell Media and force the sale of their TV stations and channels and radio stations to new owners who actually care about what they broadcast. Bell Media treats viewers and listeners with utter, undisguised contempt and that’s what Bell deserves in return. I used to think Moses Znaimer had done more damage to Canadian broadcasting than anyone else, but compared to Bell Media, he was a fart in a hurricane.
Time to shuffle Bell and CTV to the history books. Whether it’s NFL feeds screwed up, firing female anchors for having grey hair, canceling The Daily Show and trashing local radio it’s time for them to go the way of CP Air and the Milkman. They are clearly a greedy corporation with no consideration for their audience.
CTV takes over Comedy Central and axes the Daily Show? What a terrible move. Who wants to watch reruns of the Big Bang Theory 24 hours a day? Reverse your decision CTV!
The US shares with Canada and vice versa. We have lots of Canadians that made it in the US music and movie/tV industry. This is just plain selfish.
I make my point with Bell by not subscribing to any of their services including TV Fibe and cell service. You don’t give people what they want, they walk. Tell that to your shareholders. More choice, more freedom.