Constructing an empire takes many years. Destroying it may solely take just a few years, and typically the vandals are within the palace, not exterior the gates.
For a lot of the twentieth century, American broadcast tv revolved round three networks: NBC, ABC, and CBS. William S. Paley, CBS’s longtime CEO, made positive that his firm—the Columbia Broadcasting Service—was a frontrunner amongst them. The community was residence to Edward R. Murrow, who introduced World Struggle II in Europe residence to People on CBS Radio; after the conflict, Murrow’s reporting performed a pivotal function in bringing down Senator Joseph McCarthy. Walter Cronkite dominated American evenings from his perch on the Night Information. And from the times of Mike Wallace to the newer period of Lesley Stahl and Scott Pelley, 60 Minutes set the usual for longform tv reporting.
But CBS’s present possession appears decided to demolish this legacy. This night, the community introduced plans to finish The Late Present With Stephen Colbert when the host’s contract ends subsequent Could. Late-night personalities come and go, however often that occurs when their scores sag. Colbert, nonetheless, has persistently led opponents in his timeslot. CBS mentioned this was “purely a monetary resolution,” made as conventional linear tv fades.
Maybe that is true, however the community that after made Cronkite probably the most trusted man in America now not will get the advantage of the doubt. CBS’s homeowners have made a collection of choices capitulating to President Donald Trump, and the shock selection to permit Colbert—a constant, outstanding Trump critic—to stroll looks like a part of that sample.
One cheap beginning date for the difficulty could be 2016. That was each the 12 months that Trump was first elected president and the 12 months that Sumner Redstone, the stubborn however getting old proprietor of CBS’s father or mother firm Paramount, surrendered management to his daughter, Shari Redstone. In 2023, Shari Redstone started looking for a purchaser for the corporate, ultimately hanging a deal, in 2024, with Skydance. The merger requires federal approval.
Through the 2024 presidential marketing campaign, 60 Minutes interviewed Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic opponent. Trump sued CBS, alleging that the community improperly edited her interview. As supposed proof, he cited completely different excerpts of the interview that had aired on completely different CBS exhibits. (If CBS was looking for to cover something, then airing the clips on their community wasn’t a really efficient technique to do it.) He demanded $20 billion, a sum that was preposterous particularly as a result of—as most First Modification attorneys agreed—the go well with had no benefit.
However Trump had main leverage: He received the November presidential election, giving him a job in approving the proposed Skydance-Paramount merger. Throughout his first time period, he’d already demonstrated his willingness to make use of his approval energy to punish political opponents within the media, unsuccessfully looking for to dam the merger of AT&T and Time Warner.
Because the election, CBS has appeared desperate to please Trump nonetheless it may, although the corporate continues to insist the merger has no bearing on its selections. The community handed over transcripts of the 60 Minutes interview to Brendan Carr, the shut Trump ally appointed to steer the Federal Communications Fee. In April, 60 Minutes chief Invoice Owens, a extensively revered journalist, stepped down. “It’s clear the corporate is finished with me,” he instructed workers throughout a gathering. In a memo, he elaborated: “Over the previous months, it has change into clear that I might not be allowed to run the present as I’ve at all times run it, to make unbiased selections based mostly on what was proper for ‘60 Minutes,’ proper for the viewers.” A few of the exhibits’ reporters, who are usually not vulnerable to histrionic statements or partisanship, raised alarms in interviews and speeches.
Earlier this month, CBS agreed to a $16 million settlement to finish Trump’s lawsuit. The settlement doesn’t pay Trump immediately, however the community agreed to pay authorized charges for him and a co-plaintiff, and to contribute to Trump’s future presidential library. Trump has acknowledged that the deal additionally contains unspecified “promoting,” reportedly for public-service bulletins that enhance Trump-approved causes. Paramount denies this. Now comes Colbert’s departure. If the explanations are actually monetary, one wonders how his wage compares to the cash spent to settle a doubtful lawsuit.
The president now appears favorably disposed towards the merger. Final month, he spoke extremely of Skydance head David Ellison, who’s the son of Oracle founder and Trump pal Larry Ellison. Nonetheless, the deal has not but been accredited by the FCC.
Paramount and Skydance’s executives have demonstrated that they aren’t taken with defending CBS’s journalism or its editorial independence, to the detriment not solely of the community’s historic fame but additionally the numerous glorious journalists nonetheless working there. Journalism, together with Colbert’s program, make up solely a small portion of Paramount’s portfolio, and so enterprise executives may view sacrificing them to protect a deal as a prudent, if cold-blooded, maneuver.
However the latest expertise of one other Columbia—Columbia College—presents a warning. When assailed by the Trump administration, the college’s administration struck a conciliatory stance, making an attempt to make a cope with the president. The capitulation solely inspired Trump, who then sought a judicial decree for oversight of the varsity. (The two events are nonetheless in talks.) What occurred at Columbia is identical factor Trump has accomplished to many different adversaries: When you give him an inch, he’ll take a yard, and instantly scheme to seize a mile, too. Establishments which are prepared to sacrifice their values for the federal government’s favor are prone to find yourself with neither.
