No wonder women are easily losing their rights, given what has always happened in the background of 60 Minutes. Men just simply do not care. I am disappointed that Lesley Stahl, Bill Whittaker and Jason Wertheim did not resign. It gives the appearance that they are okay with what is happening with Ellison and Weiss. We need people who stand up for our democracy - NOT pretend that what is happening is okay.
"Weiss’s efforts to reshape CBS News (which also include installing Tony Doukopil as anchor of the evening news broadcast) have been lauded by FCC chair Brendan Carr"
Brendan Carr - now that's a ringing endorsement. He has wanted to shape the broadcast media to the Trump standard ever since he took office. Considering the lack of good journalists, meddling sychophants, and the past behavior of their leadership, maybe it is time for that clock to tick down. Viewers are not going to have the trust in reporting that once swelled their numbers.
I am giving up on CBS... I have watched 60 minutes since it's inception. The program has provided great coverage of so many issues, always being open and honest, plus doing follow-up when determined it is needed. Why would people with no real qualifications be placed in leadership positions and allowed to make horrendous decisions. The day of real reporting is being replaced by leaders who only want you to hear what they think is important.
Not a terrific idea to seize this moment of destruction of 60 minutes, America's most sane news program, with a headline about its harassment of women. I swear, we are our own worst enemy. The Republicans are enemies of free speech and democracy—of that there is no question—but we Democrats never fail to respond with a weak defense and hearty dose of self-recrimination. As if we don't believe in democracy ourselves. Where are the thousand of coordinated liberal articles emphatically urging a complete boycott of CBS? Where is the total outrage and demand for these firings to be reversed? Why the meek whining and acceptance?
I have to say that the hagiography surrounding 60 Minutes has been wearing a bit thin for me. The show had some problems and recognizing them is important. However, what we are seeing now from Ellison and Weiss is an attempt to shut down the hard news that 60 Minutes has been doing since Trump's second election, and that is a loss of a valuable resource and trusted public voice..
"Where are the thousand of coordinated liberal articles emphatically urging a complete boycott of CBS?"
Because it's not necessary and, quite frankly, makes other liberal media outlets look like spoiled children having a temper tantrum when they don't get their way, just like Donald Trump.
"Where is the total outrage and demand for these firings to be reversed?"
To paraphrase the late, great Ricardo Montalban in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", "You, sir, are in a position to demand nothing. CBS, however, is in a position to grant...nothing." The decision to hire Bari Weiss and her mission to restructure CBS News will either work or it won't. If it does, ratings and revenues will climb. If not, ratings and revenues drop and Weiss may get the boot. Regardless, CBS is not going to listen to a group of whiny libs who don't like what's happened to the "crown jewel" of news programs. They will figure it out on their own.
These responses help me understand why our democracy is crumbling so quickly. Scott Pelley made it clear that the 60 minutes firings happened because he and his colleagues were urged to tell lies and spread falsehoods. And they refused. Is that sinking in? 60 minutes is one of the most trusted news shows and its new owners are firing people who won't lie to the American public. How can an American citizen not be outraged by that? All of us are absolutely in a position to demand the Elison's and Weiss prove that propaganda is not their primary agenda. We're the audience and their customers! If they want to make CBS a modern version of Pravda, then of course we should be outraged. That isn't a "temper tantrum." That is holding the new owners of a major media outlet accountable.
"Scott Pelley made it clear that the 60 minutes firings happened because he and his colleagues were urged to tell lies and spread falsehoods."
To which specific "lies and falsehoods" are you referring? How do you know that every story produced up to this point has included every possible fact to help you make an informed decision?
"60 minutes is one of the most trusted news shows and its new owners are firing people who won't lie to the American public."
Neither you nor I are privy to what goes on in the offices of "60 Minutes" in regard to what stories are selected and what facts will be given in any particular story. You can lie to people simply by not including all the facts ("lies of omission").
"All of us are absolutely in a position to demand the Elison's and Weiss prove that propaganda is not their primary agenda."
Then, by all means, be outraged and demand all you want. Post pics of you and your like-minded brethren protesting outside CBS News headquarters. Keep us updated on how that goes.
"We're the audience and their customers! If they want to make CBS a modern version of Pravda, then of course we should be outraged."
As I noted in my first response: "The decision to hire Bari Weiss and her mission to restructure CBS News will either work or it won't. If it does, ratings and revenues will climb. If not, ratings and revenues drop and Weiss may get the boot." If the current audience decides that "60 Minutes" is no longer worth watching, the network will get the message. Should the changes end up growing their audience, perhaps you'll take another look.
"These responses help me understand why our democracy is crumbling so quickly."
The vast majority of posters in this Substack agree with your views almost 100% of the time. Every story in this forum paints only one side of the political spectrum as the problem facing our democracy. It never occurs to The Contrarian staff or its audience that their worldview is also skewed and contributes to "our democracy crumbling so quickly."
Hal, I appreciate your comments. They remind me that authoritarian regimes always thrive on apologists who urge us just to calm down and wait patiently as our freedoms are dismantled one by one.
From Scott Pelley's interview: "Weiss sent an email to Pelley’s boss asking them to make the protesters look more violent and to say that before an officer shot her, Renee Good was driving toward him. But she wasn’t. On the video, you see the officer standing slightly off the front of the car. And you clearly see Ms. Good’s wheels turned completely as far as they will go, away from the officer. But he shoots her in the head, kills her, and says something about her that I can’t repeat in polite company...Somehow that wasn’t enough for Ms. Weiss. The video showed that the officer wasn’t standing in front of the car and she wasn’t driving toward him, but that’s what the president said about that, and that’s the way she wanted it described.”
"They remind me that authoritarian regimes always thrive on apologists who urge us just to calm down and wait patiently as our freedoms are dismantled one by one."
Russell, you need to see how both liberal and conservative media outlets are covering this. Needless to say they have opposing views on how things went down.
As for myself, I will fault Pelley for initiating criticism of his new boss in front of everyone. It should have been handled one-on-one in the office. I don't care how important you think you are to an organization. You're not going to last long if you pull a stunt like that.
"'60 Minutes' Has Issues, but Being 'Woke' Was Never One of Them"
Perhaps not, Meredith, but "politically biased" was certainly an issue.
"The newsmagazine is the crown jewel of broadcast journalism in the United States."
It WAS the crown jewel when there were only three broadcast networks to choose from and cable was still in its infancy. There was no pushback to whatever the networks told us. Eventually more viewpoints came into being and two in particular (conservative talk radio and Fox News) gave us something substantially different. They caused many to question what the legacy networks had been saying. Now it's streaming services, podcasts, and other methods of communicating to the masses. Different viewpoints and healthy discourse is a wonderful thing in a free society. We should all embrace that.
Hmmmmm, I think CBS is a done deal. Washed up. Has been. If they have any good current shows, I hope they find space on another venue. I have not been impressed with 95% of network anything for years and no longer watch it.
No wonder women are easily losing their rights, given what has always happened in the background of 60 Minutes. Men just simply do not care. I am disappointed that Lesley Stahl, Bill Whittaker and Jason Wertheim did not resign. It gives the appearance that they are okay with what is happening with Ellison and Weiss. We need people who stand up for our democracy - NOT pretend that what is happening is okay.
"Weiss’s efforts to reshape CBS News (which also include installing Tony Doukopil as anchor of the evening news broadcast) have been lauded by FCC chair Brendan Carr"
Brendan Carr - now that's a ringing endorsement. He has wanted to shape the broadcast media to the Trump standard ever since he took office. Considering the lack of good journalists, meddling sychophants, and the past behavior of their leadership, maybe it is time for that clock to tick down. Viewers are not going to have the trust in reporting that once swelled their numbers.
I am giving up on CBS... I have watched 60 minutes since it's inception. The program has provided great coverage of so many issues, always being open and honest, plus doing follow-up when determined it is needed. Why would people with no real qualifications be placed in leadership positions and allowed to make horrendous decisions. The day of real reporting is being replaced by leaders who only want you to hear what they think is important.
Not a terrific idea to seize this moment of destruction of 60 minutes, America's most sane news program, with a headline about its harassment of women. I swear, we are our own worst enemy. The Republicans are enemies of free speech and democracy—of that there is no question—but we Democrats never fail to respond with a weak defense and hearty dose of self-recrimination. As if we don't believe in democracy ourselves. Where are the thousand of coordinated liberal articles emphatically urging a complete boycott of CBS? Where is the total outrage and demand for these firings to be reversed? Why the meek whining and acceptance?
I have to say that the hagiography surrounding 60 Minutes has been wearing a bit thin for me. The show had some problems and recognizing them is important. However, what we are seeing now from Ellison and Weiss is an attempt to shut down the hard news that 60 Minutes has been doing since Trump's second election, and that is a loss of a valuable resource and trusted public voice..
If women had not stood up we STILL wouldn't have the right to vote, so no, not going to sit down and shut up.
"Where are the thousand of coordinated liberal articles emphatically urging a complete boycott of CBS?"
Because it's not necessary and, quite frankly, makes other liberal media outlets look like spoiled children having a temper tantrum when they don't get their way, just like Donald Trump.
"Where is the total outrage and demand for these firings to be reversed?"
To paraphrase the late, great Ricardo Montalban in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", "You, sir, are in a position to demand nothing. CBS, however, is in a position to grant...nothing." The decision to hire Bari Weiss and her mission to restructure CBS News will either work or it won't. If it does, ratings and revenues will climb. If not, ratings and revenues drop and Weiss may get the boot. Regardless, CBS is not going to listen to a group of whiny libs who don't like what's happened to the "crown jewel" of news programs. They will figure it out on their own.
These responses help me understand why our democracy is crumbling so quickly. Scott Pelley made it clear that the 60 minutes firings happened because he and his colleagues were urged to tell lies and spread falsehoods. And they refused. Is that sinking in? 60 minutes is one of the most trusted news shows and its new owners are firing people who won't lie to the American public. How can an American citizen not be outraged by that? All of us are absolutely in a position to demand the Elison's and Weiss prove that propaganda is not their primary agenda. We're the audience and their customers! If they want to make CBS a modern version of Pravda, then of course we should be outraged. That isn't a "temper tantrum." That is holding the new owners of a major media outlet accountable.
"Scott Pelley made it clear that the 60 minutes firings happened because he and his colleagues were urged to tell lies and spread falsehoods."
To which specific "lies and falsehoods" are you referring? How do you know that every story produced up to this point has included every possible fact to help you make an informed decision?
"60 minutes is one of the most trusted news shows and its new owners are firing people who won't lie to the American public."
Neither you nor I are privy to what goes on in the offices of "60 Minutes" in regard to what stories are selected and what facts will be given in any particular story. You can lie to people simply by not including all the facts ("lies of omission").
"All of us are absolutely in a position to demand the Elison's and Weiss prove that propaganda is not their primary agenda."
Then, by all means, be outraged and demand all you want. Post pics of you and your like-minded brethren protesting outside CBS News headquarters. Keep us updated on how that goes.
"We're the audience and their customers! If they want to make CBS a modern version of Pravda, then of course we should be outraged."
As I noted in my first response: "The decision to hire Bari Weiss and her mission to restructure CBS News will either work or it won't. If it does, ratings and revenues will climb. If not, ratings and revenues drop and Weiss may get the boot." If the current audience decides that "60 Minutes" is no longer worth watching, the network will get the message. Should the changes end up growing their audience, perhaps you'll take another look.
"These responses help me understand why our democracy is crumbling so quickly."
The vast majority of posters in this Substack agree with your views almost 100% of the time. Every story in this forum paints only one side of the political spectrum as the problem facing our democracy. It never occurs to The Contrarian staff or its audience that their worldview is also skewed and contributes to "our democracy crumbling so quickly."
Hal, I appreciate your comments. They remind me that authoritarian regimes always thrive on apologists who urge us just to calm down and wait patiently as our freedoms are dismantled one by one.
From Scott Pelley's interview: "Weiss sent an email to Pelley’s boss asking them to make the protesters look more violent and to say that before an officer shot her, Renee Good was driving toward him. But she wasn’t. On the video, you see the officer standing slightly off the front of the car. And you clearly see Ms. Good’s wheels turned completely as far as they will go, away from the officer. But he shoots her in the head, kills her, and says something about her that I can’t repeat in polite company...Somehow that wasn’t enough for Ms. Weiss. The video showed that the officer wasn’t standing in front of the car and she wasn’t driving toward him, but that’s what the president said about that, and that’s the way she wanted it described.”
"They remind me that authoritarian regimes always thrive on apologists who urge us just to calm down and wait patiently as our freedoms are dismantled one by one."
Russell, you need to see how both liberal and conservative media outlets are covering this. Needless to say they have opposing views on how things went down.
As for myself, I will fault Pelley for initiating criticism of his new boss in front of everyone. It should have been handled one-on-one in the office. I don't care how important you think you are to an organization. You're not going to last long if you pull a stunt like that.
"'60 Minutes' Has Issues, but Being 'Woke' Was Never One of Them"
Perhaps not, Meredith, but "politically biased" was certainly an issue.
"The newsmagazine is the crown jewel of broadcast journalism in the United States."
It WAS the crown jewel when there were only three broadcast networks to choose from and cable was still in its infancy. There was no pushback to whatever the networks told us. Eventually more viewpoints came into being and two in particular (conservative talk radio and Fox News) gave us something substantially different. They caused many to question what the legacy networks had been saying. Now it's streaming services, podcasts, and other methods of communicating to the masses. Different viewpoints and healthy discourse is a wonderful thing in a free society. We should all embrace that.
Hmmmmm, I think CBS is a done deal. Washed up. Has been. If they have any good current shows, I hope they find space on another venue. I have not been impressed with 95% of network anything for years and no longer watch it.