Brian Stelter’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert tanked in the ratings

According to Nielsen Media Research, Stelter delivered Colbert's least-watched segment of the night, only averaging 1,375,000 viewers and 297,000 for ages 25-54 in the time slot of 12:15-12:22 AM/ET. These ratings are a double-digit decrease for Colbert. This is compared to the show's current full average of 1.9 million viewers and 375,000 in the 25-54 demographic.

In addition to Stelter's poor ratings, his appearance was scrutinized for being incredibly tone-deaf. As noted in the Washington Post, Stelter was perceived as a "shill" for Chris Cuomo.

To make matters worse, Stelter appeared on Colbert to sell his book attacking FOX News on the same day as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned over allegations of sexual harassment. His resignation highlights the fact that CNN is in the midst of its own scandals. Namely, breaches of journalistic ethics related to primetime news anchor Chris Cuomo advising his now disgraced brother.

Brian Stelter's struggle to attract audiences, including young audiences, is not exclusive to his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. His own program on CNN is continuously dropping in the ratings and struggling to keep viewers engaged in the post-Trump era.