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It would be bad for viewers if NBC forced Jimmy Fallon to become political to reverse his ratings slide

  • Fallon’s Tonight Show is losing viewers as it remains “a bastion of lighthearted and apolitical comedy,” says Matt Lewis. But if NBC executives force Fallon to embrace the “winning strategy” of being “sharply critical of President Trump,” as The New York Times recently put it, it would be “bad news for viewers,” says Lewis. “Anyone with a Facebook page knows that abrasive content works better than non-abrasive content,” he says. “This, of course, creates perverse incentives for producers, hosts, and commentators provide more and more of it.”

    TOPICS: NBC, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Fallon, Late Night, Ratings