After years as a symbol of steady American journalism, CBS is now fighting for its identity.
The network, long associated with names like Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow, is facing internal upheaval that many staffers believe is tied to political influence.
Since becoming part of Paramount Skydance in mid 2025, led by Trump ally David Ellison, CBS has seen changes that many inside the network say threaten its editorial independence.
The tension is no longer quiet.
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Late-night host Stephen Colbert recently revealed that CBS blocked the broadcast of his interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico, who is running against Republican Senator John Cornyn. Around the same time, several journalists, including senior producers at “60 Minutes” – resigned, citing concerns about interference in newsroom decisions.
One of the most pointed criticisms came from FCC commissioner Anna M. Gomez.
“This is yet another troubling example of corporate capitulation in the face of this Administration’s broader campaign to censor and control speech,” she said in a statement.
Of the three current FCC commissioners, Gomez is the only one not appointed by Donald Trump.
CBS underwent a leadership change in late 2025 when Bari Weiss took over as Editor in Chief. Known for her criticism of progressive politics, her arrival was met with resistance from parts of the newsroom. Early in her tenure, a segment examining the administration’s immigration policies was removed from the broadcast schedule shortly before airtime. It was eventually shown, but with a rewritten introduction.
Inside CBS, the mood reportedly changed fast.
Several current and former journalists declined to comment publicly, even anonymously, pointing to what some described as a climate of fear.
The broader context makes the tension even sharper. The 2025 Skydance deal that brought CBS under new ownership included a pledge to “root out bias that has undermined trust,” according to FCC chairman Brendan Carr. Before the deal closed, Paramount also agreed to pay $16 million to resolve Trump’s complaint over CBS election coverage – a move Colbert later described as “a big fat bribe.”
Trump rejected that characterization and praised the acquisition, calling it “the greatest thing that’s happened in a long time to a free and open and good press.”
Not everyone agrees.
Victor Pickard, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, suggested the shift is about positioning. He argued the changes are designed to curry favor with the Trump administration ahead of a potential Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.
That concern is now extending beyond CBS.
CNN, long a target of Trump’s criticism, is also set to fall under Skydance through its upcoming acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. Media scholars warn that if editorial direction aligns across both networks, the country could see a narrowing of viewpoints at a time when trust in media is already fragile.
Christopher Terry of the University of Minnesota called it a “real danger,” pointing not just to this deal, but to what might follow.
Featured image courtesy of James Leynse / Corbis via Getty Images
