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| Dan Rather |
Veteran journalist Dan Rather, a self-described optimist, expressed grave concerns about the future of CNN and CBS News as billionaires increasingly acquire major media outlets.
During an appearance on Radio Andy with Andy Cohen, Rather commented on a Wall Street Journal report suggesting Paramount’s new owner-CEO, David Ellison, is preparing a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns CNN.
If successful, this would place CNN and CBS News, owned by Paramount, under the same ownership, potentially transforming CNN and dealing a “serious wound” to CBS News.
Rather warned that the consolidation of media control among billionaires is “not healthy for the country” and a cause for concern. He noted a shift at CBS News toward more right-wing coverage, citing the Ellison family’s support for Donald Trump and instances where previous owners, also Trump supporters, allegedly influenced news content.
He highlighted CBS’s 60 Minutes, once considered “untouchable,” as an example of this shift.Rather referenced a $16 million settlement Paramount paid to Trump earlier this year over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, which Trump claimed was edited to favor her.
The settlement coincided with Paramount’s merger with Skydance, which required government approval, despite doubts about the lawsuit’s validity.
Expressing sympathy for CBS News staff, Rather, a former CBS Evening News anchor, said, “My heart is still there.” He emphasized the challenges journalists face under potential pressure from new owners to skew coverage in a pro-Trump direction, undermining independent journalism.