A routine edit with pieces of the interview distributed in different broadcasts is indeed an everyday journalistic decision. I wholeheartedly support your take on the sheepish CBS decision and will join your boycott of CBS. While their evening news is already unwatchable I will sever watching 60 Minutes and Face the Nation, the only watchable CBS News products I consume. I’ll make that pledge on LinkedIn and use a quote from your blog as part of the inspiration for making the decision. Well said, Dave, dammit.
This news so very troubling, yet not unexpected. I can't imagine the sting you must feel from this, given your long and upstanding career affiliation with CBS News.
1) A decision to boycott, whatever the target, is so personal that I withhold any judgment.
2) I boycott Attorney General Brenna Bird in all forms and forums!
1. I’ve essentially boycotted all broadcast national news simply because I don’t want to go full Elvis on my television. The very obvious “obeying in advance” is intolerable. Thank heaven for Substack and other independent, non-legacy media.
2. I don’t know why Bird has absented herself from the governor race. Thanks for providing your suspicions; I hadn’t suspected the maneuvering you have posited.
I’ve suspected for a long time that Reynolds has a “Plan B” after announcing early she wouldn’t be running again for governor. And Ernst seems to give an “I don’t care” feel in her body language. So unfortunately your suspicions actually make sense to me.
In today's world all media is a business. I read that Shari Redstone wants to sell Paramount Global and hence, CBS. Controversy affects the price. She calls the shots. We've seen business influence the Washington Post and even our own CBS affiliate. I shake my head every time I watch a KCCI weather segment. It's a sad world today.
Agree that media is a business but I’ve always felt it’s a “special” business. And it needs to be treated that way. What owners have to sell is credibility. Once that is lost, which it has been in this case, it’s tough to get back.
Media folks used to be 'pros'. Now we have 'influencers in the room. i watched a recent WH press conference. I recognized only a few in the room. the rest--I doubt they had 'earned their spurs'. It was an influencer who challenged the Ukrainian leader about his 'informal dress' at the WH...the same clothes he wears to the UN and Congress. It was an 'amateur' set up to deflect what he was there to say to 45/47.
absolutely boycotting CBS. ( do we include Paramount in that as well?) I too grew up in the. Cronkite era. In fact he was always sort of a mentor who inspired me as a news writer and editor. I'm crushed by their decision. This is not what we expect from main stream media. But then Main Stream media is nothing like it used to be before the end of the Fairness Doctrine and no more truth in broadcasting standards. ( I miss that little seal) This decision by CBS is a huge kick in the behind to journalistic integrity and the Constitution's protection of free speech and journalistic integrity.
True; without ethics news is no different than the super market rags with flashy headlines but little substance. It's a dangrous precedent in my opinion.
As a broadcasting major from U OF I I can assure you we were drilled on the FD. Working initially at Kcrg, it was evident in our programming we at least paid some attention to adhereinc to it. Its demise has caused a lot of this BS from Rush on down
I’m on board for the boycott, but it’s no sacrifice for me.
Up until two months ago I watched the evening news every night. I watched NBC, as I really enjoyed Lester Holt. But cable has gotten so stupidly expensive, I pulled the plug. It was the only thing I watched on cable TV, besides local news. And I just can’t see spending that much to watch an hour’s worth of TV a day. I read the Register and the New York Times, and I get the occasional local story from a news website online.
I miss my hour of local news every evening. It was a ritual.
We have already stopped watching CBS evening news because we do t like the new co-anchor combo or formatting. And now we’ve got another reason to stop watching it.
I appreciate your analysis on why bird dropped out.
Terri, as much as I like John Dickerson, he’s miscast in this role. He’s an outstanding political analyst, not the greatest anchor. The current evening news format is not working. I expect it will change.
First of all, Dave, don’t ever apologize for sending out two newsletters in a week. Always find your editorials thought provoking and insightful.
Absolutely support boycotting CBS. What Paramount did is nothing short of bribery, quid pro quo payola. With this kind of cowardly corporate philosophy the Pentagon Papers and Watergate scandal would never have made the light of day.
I was at an event last week honoring Bill Owens and several 60 Minutes staffers were there as well. It was clear that they were all very, very pissed.
From an accounting perspective, I see why Redstone would settle, but it is extremely disheartening that the idea of ‘fiduciary duty’ has become so warped as to equate only with a company’s share price. At some point, is there not a duty to prevent a company from being extorted?
We’ll see if the threat by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to investigate Paramount for bribery comes to anything. They can’t mount an investigation unless the Democrats get the Senate back. Nice to hear from you, Amy.
I have followed Brenna Bird since her first win as Guthrie County attorney. Rural Iowa's knew she was just looking for attention to be place in higher state office. Her entire political history is based on whatever she is asked. To not run for governor was not her plan.
Boycotts seldom solve a problem. I will continue to watch perhaps more as a critic. The attach on the Republican Party as Trump took over the heart and soul of this party has worked better than expected. Now the citizens question can the Democrat Party be trusted. My question, why haven't the NBC local channels been attacked. Look to who owns them.
Legislators have long catered to the highest bidder in the United States. News media were not an always reliable check on this "best government that money can buy" system in a capitalist economy, but they did stand for a higher ethic in opposition to the most egregious violations of honesty and transparency. Now political news reporting has become nothing more than reality show entertainment. CBS executives should hang their heads in shame over this extortion payout, but they have no shame: "It's just business, and this was the easiest and cheapest way to solve the problem." You are right to boycott CBS. No one should ever again trust their reporting.
Dave you may be on to something! I agree that CBS should have never caved to pay Trump! That was wrong , I still watch them but may watch more of ABC. But the theory of Bird replacing Ernst maybe a thought? DJT changes cabinet people a lot. Your column is informative!
Well, ABC caved earlier this year, paying $15 million to Trump’s presidential library plus another $1 million to reimburse his legal fees. Their settlement is as bad if not worse than CBS because there isn’t a corporate merger before that this administration has to approve.
Paramount is "bribing"... with the hope its merger goes through...and is willing to sacrifice advocacy for freedom of the press. Its hope, based on the Administrations transactional duplicity [see "reversals" [Ukranian support; "always support for Medicaid and Medicare" etc.'] may prove to be a tragic mistake. We are in mot troublesome times.
A routine edit with pieces of the interview distributed in different broadcasts is indeed an everyday journalistic decision. I wholeheartedly support your take on the sheepish CBS decision and will join your boycott of CBS. While their evening news is already unwatchable I will sever watching 60 Minutes and Face the Nation, the only watchable CBS News products I consume. I’ll make that pledge on LinkedIn and use a quote from your blog as part of the inspiration for making the decision. Well said, Dave, dammit.
Dammit is right. Wish it weren’t so.
This news so very troubling, yet not unexpected. I can't imagine the sting you must feel from this, given your long and upstanding career affiliation with CBS News.
1) A decision to boycott, whatever the target, is so personal that I withhold any judgment.
2) I boycott Attorney General Brenna Bird in all forms and forums!
I am as upset as you are about the CBS capitulation. I would boycott CBS news if I watched it. (Don’t worry I still watch KCCI)
Thank you for continuing to watch KCCI. Neither the station nor its owners would have agreed to this.
1. I’ve essentially boycotted all broadcast national news simply because I don’t want to go full Elvis on my television. The very obvious “obeying in advance” is intolerable. Thank heaven for Substack and other independent, non-legacy media.
2. I don’t know why Bird has absented herself from the governor race. Thanks for providing your suspicions; I hadn’t suspected the maneuvering you have posited.
I’m naturally suspicious. Decades in news will make one that way.
I’ve suspected for a long time that Reynolds has a “Plan B” after announcing early she wouldn’t be running again for governor. And Ernst seems to give an “I don’t care” feel in her body language. So unfortunately your suspicions actually make sense to me.
In favor of boycotting any news media that bows to this POTUS’s demands.
Bird saw eventual defeat to Rob Sand’s even if she survived Feenstra challenge
I’d like to think so but Republicans have a huge voter registration advantage in Iowa and it’s a tough number to overcome for any Democrat.
How do we get more Dems and Independents to register? That’s the challenge
In today's world all media is a business. I read that Shari Redstone wants to sell Paramount Global and hence, CBS. Controversy affects the price. She calls the shots. We've seen business influence the Washington Post and even our own CBS affiliate. I shake my head every time I watch a KCCI weather segment. It's a sad world today.
Agree that media is a business but I’ve always felt it’s a “special” business. And it needs to be treated that way. What owners have to sell is credibility. Once that is lost, which it has been in this case, it’s tough to get back.
Media folks used to be 'pros'. Now we have 'influencers in the room. i watched a recent WH press conference. I recognized only a few in the room. the rest--I doubt they had 'earned their spurs'. It was an influencer who challenged the Ukrainian leader about his 'informal dress' at the WH...the same clothes he wears to the UN and Congress. It was an 'amateur' set up to deflect what he was there to say to 45/47.
absolutely boycotting CBS. ( do we include Paramount in that as well?) I too grew up in the. Cronkite era. In fact he was always sort of a mentor who inspired me as a news writer and editor. I'm crushed by their decision. This is not what we expect from main stream media. But then Main Stream media is nothing like it used to be before the end of the Fairness Doctrine and no more truth in broadcasting standards. ( I miss that little seal) This decision by CBS is a huge kick in the behind to journalistic integrity and the Constitution's protection of free speech and journalistic integrity.
Agree that it’s not the same but that doesn’t mean a fundamental ethical principle should be tossed out.
True; without ethics news is no different than the super market rags with flashy headlines but little substance. It's a dangrous precedent in my opinion.
As a broadcasting major from U OF I I can assure you we were drilled on the FD. Working initially at Kcrg, it was evident in our programming we at least paid some attention to adhereinc to it. Its demise has caused a lot of this BS from Rush on down
I’m on board for the boycott, but it’s no sacrifice for me.
Up until two months ago I watched the evening news every night. I watched NBC, as I really enjoyed Lester Holt. But cable has gotten so stupidly expensive, I pulled the plug. It was the only thing I watched on cable TV, besides local news. And I just can’t see spending that much to watch an hour’s worth of TV a day. I read the Register and the New York Times, and I get the occasional local story from a news website online.
I miss my hour of local news every evening. It was a ritual.
Wini, I moved from cable to YouTube TV and am happy I did. Much more affordable and has all the channels I like.
We have already stopped watching CBS evening news because we do t like the new co-anchor combo or formatting. And now we’ve got another reason to stop watching it.
I appreciate your analysis on why bird dropped out.
Terri, as much as I like John Dickerson, he’s miscast in this role. He’s an outstanding political analyst, not the greatest anchor. The current evening news format is not working. I expect it will change.
Agree!!
First of all, Dave, don’t ever apologize for sending out two newsletters in a week. Always find your editorials thought provoking and insightful.
Absolutely support boycotting CBS. What Paramount did is nothing short of bribery, quid pro quo payola. With this kind of cowardly corporate philosophy the Pentagon Papers and Watergate scandal would never have made the light of day.
Thanks, Ted.
I was at an event last week honoring Bill Owens and several 60 Minutes staffers were there as well. It was clear that they were all very, very pissed.
From an accounting perspective, I see why Redstone would settle, but it is extremely disheartening that the idea of ‘fiduciary duty’ has become so warped as to equate only with a company’s share price. At some point, is there not a duty to prevent a company from being extorted?
We’ll see if the threat by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to investigate Paramount for bribery comes to anything. They can’t mount an investigation unless the Democrats get the Senate back. Nice to hear from you, Amy.
I have followed Brenna Bird since her first win as Guthrie County attorney. Rural Iowa's knew she was just looking for attention to be place in higher state office. Her entire political history is based on whatever she is asked. To not run for governor was not her plan.
Boycotts seldom solve a problem. I will continue to watch perhaps more as a critic. The attach on the Republican Party as Trump took over the heart and soul of this party has worked better than expected. Now the citizens question can the Democrat Party be trusted. My question, why haven't the NBC local channels been attacked. Look to who owns them.
Legislators have long catered to the highest bidder in the United States. News media were not an always reliable check on this "best government that money can buy" system in a capitalist economy, but they did stand for a higher ethic in opposition to the most egregious violations of honesty and transparency. Now political news reporting has become nothing more than reality show entertainment. CBS executives should hang their heads in shame over this extortion payout, but they have no shame: "It's just business, and this was the easiest and cheapest way to solve the problem." You are right to boycott CBS. No one should ever again trust their reporting.
This suggests Gannett will do the same in another one of Trump's scams.
In Bird's story, another example of the "plumbing factor" in goverment.
I hope not. For now, it appears Gannett and the Register are fighting all the way. I could be wrong, but I don’t think they settle.
Dave you may be on to something! I agree that CBS should have never caved to pay Trump! That was wrong , I still watch them but may watch more of ABC. But the theory of Bird replacing Ernst maybe a thought? DJT changes cabinet people a lot. Your column is informative!
Well, ABC caved earlier this year, paying $15 million to Trump’s presidential library plus another $1 million to reimburse his legal fees. Their settlement is as bad if not worse than CBS because there isn’t a corporate merger before that this administration has to approve.
Paramount is "bribing"... with the hope its merger goes through...and is willing to sacrifice advocacy for freedom of the press. Its hope, based on the Administrations transactional duplicity [see "reversals" [Ukranian support; "always support for Medicaid and Medicare" etc.'] may prove to be a tragic mistake. We are in mot troublesome times.