Is Colbert's Ouster Really Just a ‘Financial Decision’? - The Atlantic
CBS no longer deserves the benefit of the doubt.
theatlantic.com
CBS just announced that it’ll pull the plug on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert next spring—officially because “linear TV is dying” and they need to save money. But it’s a puzzling move when Colbert consistently out-rates his rivals. The article argues that this “financial decision” fits a worrying pattern: CBS’s new overlords (Shari Redstone, Skydance, Paramount) have been cozying up to Trump, from handing over 60 Minutes transcripts to settling his baseless lawsuit (complete with legal fees and library donations) to pushing out respected journalists.
It’s hard not to see Colbert’s exit as another concession to curry favor with DC power brokers so a massive merger can slide through. The piece even draws a parallel to Columbia University’s face-plant with the Trump administration: when big institutions sacrifice editorial independence for short-term relief, they end up losing both their values and their credibility.
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