Late night host Stephen Colbert addressed reports concerning pressure on the CBS News division from its parent company, Paramount Global. The comments came Tuesday amid an ongoing lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against Paramount.
Stephen Colbert discussed reports that controlling shareholder Shari Redstone sought to limit critical coverage of President Trump on the news division, particularly regarding the program "60 Minutes." Colbert noted reports suggesting this pressure was not relayed directly to the news staff.
The pressure reports surface as Paramount faces a $20 billion lawsuit from Mr. Trump. The suit centers on the program's editing of a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris conducted in the days leading up to the presidential election.
Paramount Global is also in talks to merge with Skydance Media. The merger requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission, an agency whose leadership is appointed by the presidential administration.
Recent events at CBS News have also highlighted concerns about independence. Correspondent Scott Pelley stated on air that Paramount began supervising content in "new ways" as the company sought merger approval, though he noted no stories were blocked.
Former "60 Minutes" Executive Producer Bill Owens resigned in April, citing a lack of sufficient independence to run the show. In a memo to staff, Owens wrote that he would not be allowed to make independent decisions necessary for the program.
Despite the reported corporate environment, "60 Minutes" aired a segment Sunday featuring Marc Elias, a lawyer who has frequently opposed Mr. Trump in court.
The segment discussed Mr. Trump's actions targeting law firms and lawyers through executive orders and other means. Mr. Elias, who previously worked for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign and Kamala Harris's 2024 campaign, was featured as someone targeted by the president.
Mr. Elias stated he would not stop fighting Mr. Trump and would continue to speak out. The segment was described by one source as appearing one-sided, featuring guests critical of the president without presenting counterarguments in favor of his actions.
