CBS is under new ownership. Furthermore, the news division has a new editor. One fed-up employee claimed that the network is silencing journalists. The allegation comes amid Stephen Colbert’s claims that he was banned from welcoming a certain guest on his late-night talk show. Keep reading for all the details.
CBS News Staffer Quits, Fires Off Nasty Email
The news media is changing right before our eyes. Many networks are moving away from liberal ideologies and embracing right-leaning issues. The change comes partly amid President Trump’s common tactic to sue networks for reports that paint him in a bad light. He’s already won billions in lawsuits after various networks settled.
The current administration played a big role in approving the merger between Paramount Global, which owns CBS and other networks, and Skydance Media. The merger was approved in August, and the changes began happening at a rapid rate. Former New York Times opinion writer Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief amid the network’s shifting priorities.
Her appointment as editor-in-chief saw the departure of CBS Evening News anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois. Tony Dokoupil left the network’s morning show to replace them. Multiple outlets reported on an all-staff meeting held in January and the ensuing layoffs immediately afterwards.
CBS News staffers were reportedly given a buyout option. A producer with the network, Alicia Hastey, accepted the offer and then sent an email to her co-workers. The email, in which she blasted the network’s shift in perspective, went viral.
Network Forcing Journalists Into Silence Under New Ownership?
Months before the merger went through, CBS announced that Stephen Colbert’s late-night show was ending in 2026. They cited financial reasons but many believe it was a condition of the government approving the merger.
With little to lose, Stephen Colbert isn’t afraid to put the network on blast. That’s exactly what he did earlier this week when CBS allegedly banned him from bringing Texas Senator candidate James Talarico onto the show. Stephen Colbert did it anyway and released the full interview on YouTube.
The situation fueled discussions about the current state of the media. Former CBS News producer Alicia Hastey hinted in her email that journalists were being silenced. “The truth is that commitment to those people and the stories they have to sell is increasingly becoming impossible,” she wrote in the letter.
“Stories may instead be evaluated not just on their journalistic merit but on whether they conform to a shifting set of ideological expectations — a dynamic that pressures producers and reporters to self-censor or avoid challenging narratives that might trigger backlash or unfavorable headlines.”
It was also announced this week that longtime journalist Anderson Cooper is leaving 60 Minutes. It’s unclear if his departure is related to Bari Weiss’s leadership. Tell us in the comments if you’re still watching CBS News.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
