Stewart and Colbert Extend Comedy Central Contracts

Comedy Central has quietly locked in the two pillars of its late-night programming with the announcement Wednesday that Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have extended their contracts with the network.

Comedy Central released a brief statement confirming that Mr. Stewart, who hosts “The Daily Show,” the perennial Emmy-winner and television’s top-rated late-night show, will remain through mid-2015, adding another two years to his contract.

Mr. Colbert, who like Mr. Stewart had increased his ratings this season among the younger viewers most sought by advertisers, had agreed to remain on Comedy Central at least through the end of 2014, which was also a two-year extension.

The deals indicate that Mr. Stewart, whose show is the most watched of all late-night programming among viewers from the ages of 18 to 49, has no plans to step away soon and also takes Mr. Colbert off the market for at least two more years.

Mr. Stewart has been so successful at Comedy Central that people close to him say they believe there is no longer any threat that he will be lured by another television outlet. It is only a question of how long he wants to continue working on a nightly program.

Mr. Colbert could have been the object of some interest to other television destinations, so his decision to lock himself into the successor show behind Mr. Stewart’s is significant for Comedy Central.

Among the competition in late-night comedy shows, Mr. Stewart is up 10 percent — and Mr. Colbert 14 percent — among 18- to 49-year-old viewers over the 2010-11 television season; Mr. Stewart and Mr. Colbert rank first and fourth over all in that category. Every other late-night comedy show is down in that category over a year ago.