Veteran journalist Dan Rather, who described himself as an “optimist” by nature, has provided a bleak warning over the way forward for NCS and CBS News as billionaires proceed to purchase up media properties.
In a latest look on Radio Andy with host Andy Cohen, Rather was requested about final week’s Wall Street Journal report, which claimed Paramount’s new owner-CEO, David Ellison, was getting ready a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Rather mentioned if this occurred, it could not solely “change NCS forever” but additionally be a “serious wound to CBS News.”
NCS is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, that means if Ellison’s bid was accepted, NCS could be beneath the identical banner as CBS News, which is owned by Paramount.
“I do think, Andy, without preaching about it, but that we, all of us, all the Americans, have to be concerned about the consolidation of huge billionaires getting control of nearly all of the major news outlets,” Rather informed Cohen, per The Wrap.
“This is not healthy for the country, and it is something to worry about,” he added. “You and I are both optimists, but it’s pretty hard to be optimistic about the possibilities of the Ellisons buying NCS.”
Rather went on to say that adjustments are already occurring inside CBS News, noting a shift towards extra right-wing protection. “[The Ellisons] are great supporters of President Trump, and there’ve been several instances in which the previous owners, who were also supporters of President Trump, had tried to sort of dictate what kind of news comes on,” the previous CBS Evening News anchor continued.
He pointed to the long-running CBS information program 60 Minutes, which he mentioned was at one time thought-about “untouchable.”
Earlier this yr, Paramount reached a $16 million settlement with Donald Trump after he sued the company over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, which he claimed had been edited in her favour. While many mentioned Trump’s lawsuit had no foundation, the settlement went forward amid Paramount’s merger with Skydance, which required authorities approval.
“My own feeling is that it is a particularly tough time for anybody working at CBS News and I still know many people there and I’m not ashamed to say that my heart is still there and probably always will be in a way,” Rather added.
“But this is an extremely tough time for them, and it’ll be interesting to see how much, if any, pressure the new owners put on them to change the coverage to be more pro-Trump than to being independent news,” he concluded.
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