Panic at CBS News as New Owner Pursues Ex-Fox News Executive To Rein In Liberal Journalists, With Pro-Israel Writer as ‘Ideological Guide’: Report

Significant changes could be on the way for beleaguered CBS News, as its likely new owner, Skydance Media, is reportedly in talks with a former Fox News executive, who also had a previous run heading CBS News, to return to the Tiffany Network’s news division.Paramount Global still controls CBS. However, after Paramount’s $16 million deal to settle President Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit, which was widely seen as impeding the Federal Communications Commission’s approval of its merger with Skydance, it appears the expected new owners are working on plans for the network. A veteran media journalist at Puck, Matthew Belloni, reported Thursday evening that the chief executive of Skydance, David Ellison — son of the world’s second richest man, Larry Ellison — and his team are in talks with a former head of CBS News, David Rhodes, who is now the executive chairman of Sky News in the United Kingdom. If Mr. Rhodes does indeed return to CBS, it would send a signal that the new owners are looking to rein in the troubled news division, which has been hobbled by controversies over the last year about an anti-Trump and anti-Israel bias.Mr. Rhodes is an intriguing choice for the position because — having been at CBS News between 2011 and 2019 — he has a deep understanding of how CBS News works, and would be better positioned than others to handle its Byzantine office politics, which have ruined a series of news executives who were supposed to bring change. Earlier in his career, Mr. Rhodes worked for 12 years in senior roles at Fox News and traveled in libertarian circles in New York.A July 29, 2012, file photo shows the CBS News chairman and ’60 Minutes’ executive producer at the time, Jeff Fager; a ’60 Minutes’ co-host, Norah O’Donnell; the CBS vice president of programming, Chris Licht; co-host Gayle King; co-host Charlie Rose; and the CBS News president, David Rhodes, at Los Angeles. Fager and Rose have since been fired for sexual harassment; Licht left for CNN and was fired after a year; O’Donnell was demoted with an enormous pay cut; only Ms. King remains. Frederick M. Brown/Getty ImagesThis could prove alarming to CBS News’s reliably liberal producer corps. Further alarming is that Mr. Rhodes would have much more power than he did in his first iteration. For much of his time at CBS News, he reported to the executive producer of “60 Minutes” at the time, Jeff Fager, who was also chairman of CBS News, and the chief executive of CBS, Les Moonves, who, like Mr. Fager, was a liberal and largely left CBS News alone. (Messrs. Moonves and Fager were both fired in #metoo-era sex harassment scandals.)Under the deal, if it comes to fruition as Mr. Ellison envisions, Mr. Belloni wrote that Mr. Rhodes would work with the pro-Israel co-founder of the Free Press, Bari Weiss, to manage the network. Multiple reports last week said that Mr. Ellison is in talks with Ms. Weiss about buying the Free Press, integrating it with CBS News’s digital properties, and giving her a non-managerial role in shaping editorial decisions. According to Mr. Belloni, Mr. Rhodes would be tasked with managing the day-to-day operations of CBS News, and Ms. Weiss would act as an “ideological guide of sorts.”CBS News is currently run by a cable news veteran, Tom Cibrowski, who was brought in by the then-head of CBS News and Stations, Wendy McMahon, who was struggling to steady the ship as the network was rocked by Mr. Trump’s lawsuit, complaints of an anti-Israel bias, and embarrassing leaks. On the anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 terror attacks, the then-head of editorial and newsgathering, Adrienne Roark, reprimanded a morning show co-host, Tony Dokoupil, for his sharp questioning of a virulently anti-Israel author, Ta-Nehisi Coates, about his latest book, “The Message.” The Free Press published secretly recorded audio of the meeting, leading to widespread criticism of the network, including from the non-executive chairwoman of Paramount, Shari Redstone. CBS News has been denounced by President Trump for its editing of the ’60 Minutes’ interview with Vice President Harris. CBS NewsThe newsmagazine program “60 Minutes” came under fire for running anti-Israel segments, including one in which one of the show’s stars, Lesley Stahl, asked a freed Israeli-American hostage if Hamas actually intended to starve him, or if the group simply had no food. Mr. Trump sued “60 Minutes” after it edited a portion of Vice President Harris’s answer to a question about Israel and removed a “word salad.” The network forcefully defended the editing. However, Mr. Trump said it caused him “mental anguish” and could have cost him the 2024 election. Mr. Trump reportedly sought as much as $50 million and an apology to settle his lawsuit. However, he agreed to a settlement of $16 million and no apology, which led to speculation that there was a secret side deal with Mr. Ellison to provide more concessions once the Skydance deal closes. There were multiple reports — confirmed by Mr. Trump while speaking to reporters — that there is a side deal to air, once Skydance takes over, public service announcements for conservative causes, which would bring the value of the deal closer to $30 million. Paramount has denied any such deal. The decision to bring on Mr. Rhodes could be another such concession. Mr. Belloni writes that putting Mr. Rhodes in charge of CBS News would “signal to Donald Trump, F.C.C. chair Brendan Carr, and many Republican skeptics that the overseer of 60 Minutes at least has conservative bona fides on his résumé.” He is also a “credible centrist journalism manager.” Bringing on Ms. Weiss, who is staunchly pro-Israel and frequently denounces “wokeness,” would also likely make conservatives happy.Mr. Rhodes has some history at CBS News that might influence how the staff reacts to his leadership. During his tenure, ratings fell after he had to a fire morning show anchor, Charlie Rose, amid allegations of sexual misconduct. He also replaced journalist Scott Pelley as the anchor of “CBS Evening News,” after Mr. Pelley demanded more money, with the inexpensive Jeff Glor, who was in the role for just two years until he was replaced by Norah O’Donnell. Mr. Rhodes also had “a few clashes with the ‘60 Minutes’ team,” Mr. Belloni reported. This is typical at CBS News, where “60 Minutes” staffers consider themselves superior and ignore central administration.Oracle heir David Ellison (seen leaning over, in black) is present at a UFC event in Florida with President Trump earlier this year. InstagramThe timing of the report will likely not go over well, as it was published the same night that CBS announced it is ending “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” in May and said it is not replacing it. The network said the decision is “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and not “related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.” However, the decision to drop the persistent Trump critic, after the settlement and as the FCC has yet to approve the Skydance deal, is being received as yet another attempt to placate the president. Mr. Belloni noted that Mr. Cibrowski, an ABC News veteran, is trusted at CBS News, whose senior management now includes several ABC News exiles. Replacing him with a former Fox News executive, chosen by someone who has been seen as friendly with Mr. Trump, might lead the staff to resist the new leader’s edicts. There are already signs that Ms. Weiss would face stiff resistance in her role. An unnamed CBS News staffer told the New York Post that she would have “an axe in her head in three minutes.”Skydance did not respond to the Sun’s request for comment by the time of publication. A person “familiar with the matter” told Reuters that Mr. Rhodes is “very happy in London at Sky News.” Mr. Belloni’s reporting, however, is known for its prescience and accuracy.

Panic at CBS News as New Owner Pursues Ex-Fox News Executive To Rein In Liberal Journalists, With Pro-Israel Writer as ‘Ideological Guide’: Report

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