Latest news with #TonyDokoupil
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Gayle King could lose lucrative CBS News gig within months as embattled network faces ratings freefall
Longtime CBS News anchor Gayle King may soon be out of a job as her embattled network faces plummeting ratings amid its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance. King's one-year contract is due to end in September, and the 70-year-old star will likely face a difficult time trying to renew her contract, insiders told the New York Post. The network sources said her salary - which is believed to be more than $10 million - is just too high to justify CBS Morning's tanking ratings. The large sum had already been trimmed last year from $13 million when she inked a new one-year deal. But getting another one-year deal would be a 'miracle' as CBS News tries to cut its costs, one insider explained. 'This could be Gayle's last year,' another added. The insiders also noted that King does not have much bargaining leverage. Even if the legendary anchor opts for another pay cut, they said, it would likely be even steeper than last year's as the news division's ratings plummet and King continues to face backlash for her trip to space. Some 3.9 million viewers tuned into the space spectacle on the morning of April 14, new Nielsen numbers show. NBC's Today, meanwhile, managed 2.489 million total viewers on average in the same week - while Good Morning America at ABC averaged 2.655 million. But CBS Mornings - which King co-hosts with Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson - quickly dropped back to third place - in both total viewers and the hallowed 25-54 demo. Its total viewership has now sunk below 2 million total viewers - trailing NBC's Today Show, which had 2.6 million viewers in the week of May 5, and ABC's Good Morning America, which garnered 2.7 million viewers. As one insider said, 'Skydance is definitely not going to keep her with those numbers.' Yet others expressed their doubts about King leaving, saying the network is trying to stem its losses. It has already suffered a blow when former 60 Minutes boss Bill Owens announced his resignation - and on Monday, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon said she is quitting the network. That leaves the number two executive, CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, in charge. 'Tom doesn't have enough hands to plug the holes in the dam,' said one insider, who noted that losing King would be a major shakeup for CBS' morning program - and would just be another problem Cibrowski would have to solve. Meanwhile, Paramount - the network's parent company - is already expected to kick off another round of layoffs as part of its efforts to slash $500 million as soon as next month in preparation for the merger with Skydance. Assuming that deal goes through, the new management from Skydance is also expected to continue the cost-cutting efforts at the network. 'The first year of the merger will just be consolidation,' another source said, while an insider close to Skydance emphasized that 'No one has given any thought to Gayle King's contract, as there are clearly other priorities to tackle.' In fact, executives at the embattled news network are also trying to settle President Donald Trump's $20 billion lawsuit. The president has claimed that a 60 Minutes segment featuring Kamala Harris ahead of the 2020 presidential election was deceptively edited. CBS News has maintained that the then-vice president simply gave a lengthy answer, which was then cut down due to time constraints. But Shari Redstone, the heiress of Paramount Global, is seeking to settle the suit in an effort to get the merger approved by Trump's Federal Communications Commission - which is also investigating whether the interview violated 'news distortion' rules. The FCC has already said it will not approve the deal until a settlement between CBS News and Trump is reached. It also reminded Paramount executives that it may not approve the merger if its investigation finds CBS staffers engaged in bias by 'deceptively' editing the 60 Minutes interview, to the point it could constitute 'distortion.'
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Gayle King could leave lucrative CBS News gig within months as embattled network faces ratings freefall
Longtime CBS News anchor Gayle King may soon be out of a job as the embattled network faces plummeting ratings amid its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance. King's one-year contract is due to end in September, and the 70-year-old star will likely face a difficult time trying to renew her contract, insiders told the New York Post. They said her salary - which is believed to be more than $10 million - is just too high to justify CBS Morning's tanking ratings. It had already been trimmed last year from $13 million when she inked a new one-year deal. But getting another one-year deal would be a 'miracle' as CBS News tries to cut its costs, one insider explained. 'This could be Gayle's last year,' another added. They noted that King does not have much bargaining leverage - and while the legendary anchor could opt to take another pay cut, it would likely be even steeper than last year's as the news division's ratings continue to sink and King continues to face backlash for her quick trip to space. Some 3.9 million viewers tuned into the spectacle the morning of April 14, new Nielsen numbers show. NBC's Today, meanwhile, managed 2.489 million total viewers on average in the same week - while Good Morning America at ABC averaged 2.655 million. But CBS Mornings - which King co-hosts with Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson - quickly dropped back to third place - in both total viewers and the hallowed 25-54 demo. Its total viewership has now sunk below 2 million total viewers - trailing NBC's Today Show, which had 2.6 million viewers in the week of May 5, and ABC's Good Morning America, which garnered 2.7 million viewers. As one insider said, 'Skydance is definitely not going to keep her with those numbers.' Yet others expressed their doubts about King leaving, saying the network is trying to stem its losses. It has already suffered a blow when former 60 Minutes boss Bill Owens announced his resignation - and on Monday, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon said she is quitting the network. That leaves the number two executive, CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, in charge. 'Tom doesn't have enough hands to plug the holes in the dam,' said one insider, who noted that losing King would be a major shakeup for CBS' morning program - and would just be another problem Cibrowski would have to solve. Meanwhile, Paramount - the network's parent company - is already expected to kick off another round of layoffs as part of its efforts to slash $500 million as soon as next month in preparation for the merger with Skydance. Assuming that deal goes through, the new management from Skydance is also expected to continue the cost-cutting efforts at the network. 'The first year of the merger will just be consolidation,' another source said, while an insider close to Skydance emphasized that 'No one has given any thought to Gayle King's contract, as there are clearly other priorities to tackle.' In fact, executives at the embattled news network are also trying to settle President Donald Trump's $20 billion lawsuit. The president has claimed that a 60 Minutes segment featuring Kamala Harris ahead of the 2020 presidential election was deceptively edited. CBS News has maintained that the then-vice president simply gave a lengthy answer, which was then cut down due to time constraints. But Shari Redstone, the heiress of Paramount Global, is seeking to settle the suit in an effort to get the merger approved by Trump's Federal Communications Commission - which is also investigating whether the interview violated 'news distortion' rules. The FCC has already said it will not approve the deal until a settlement between CBS News and Trump is reached. It also reminded Paramount executives that it may not approve the merger if its investigation finds CBS staffers engaged in bias by 'deceptively' editing the 60 Minutes interview, to the point it could constitute 'distortion.'
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Local reporter stopped from asking Bill Belichick about Jordon Hudson in new interview after CBS disaster
Bill Belichick is not answering any questions about his romance with Jordon Hudson following the backlash over his car-crash CBS interview, a North Carolina reporter has revealed. Hudson, 24, made headlines for the wrong reasons last month when she interrupted her 73-year-old boyfriend's interview with CBS Sunday Morning's Tony Dokoupil to shut down a question about how they first met. The painfully awkward moment, which went viral on social media, sparked concerns about the nature of their relationship, with many expressing fears over how much control Jordon has over Bill and the distraction she could be causing in his new role as North Carolina head coach. The NFL legend broke his silence on the matter earlier this week, insisting it is 'a personal relationship' that 'doesn't have anything to do with UNC football' while awkwardly dodging a question about Hudson. And a few days on from that interview, UNC stopped a local TV reporter from asking Belichick about his younger lover during their own conversation. Before airing their interview, Brian Murphy of WRAL-TV in Raleigh revealed the school told him not to ask any questions about Hudson and keep them strictly to football amid the controversy surrounding the relationship. The ongoing Hudson drama took another twist last week after former ESPN reporter Pablo Torre claimed on his podcast that she is no longer welcome at UNC's football facilities. He reported that high-ranking officials in UNC's athletic department came to a decision last week that she would not be allowed at the football field or inside the facility. The sports journalist also stated from a source that, 'there is deep worry for how detrimental Jordon can be for not just North Carolina but Bill's legacy, reputation - everything he has built and worked for over decades.' Torre also made the bold claim that the Belichick family 'has been digging into' Hudson, with her antics over the last few weeks raising tons of red flags. However, a statement from Carolina Athletics to Daily Mail has strongly denied the story of Hudson being banned. It read: 'While Jordon Hudson is not an employee at the University or Carolina Athletics, she is welcome to the Carolina Football facilities.' That statement came a few days before a bombshell report from The Washington Post, which claimed UNC insiders have slammed Belichick 's 'odd' relationship with Hudson and her influence over the head coach. One Tar Heel employee reportedly even suggested his girlfriend could cost him the job. 'It's just so odd,' the UNC official told the outlet. 'And we just don't know what's coming. Those two decide what they're going to do and they do it.' 'She is very, very involved in the crafting of Bill's projected image, everything you see on Instagram, all of that. I know it's hard to separate out this image of Bill Belichick and Bill Belichick the North Carolina football coach.' 'Maybe it sounds silly for me to try to separate the two things. But really the football side of Bill and now the public side of Bill have become two different things, and she is in charge of the public side.' Hudson and Belichick were in the limelight over the weekend as she took part in the Miss Maine pageant, eventually finishing third - one place lower than her 2024 effort. Belichick was spotted front row at the event on Saturday and Sunday, supporting his girlfriend alongside her father. Despite Hudson's failure to win the crown and a place in Miss USA, it is understood the pair don't believe their fame had a detrimental effect on the results.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Steelers Fans Bring Terrible Towel to Pope Leo XIV's Introduction
The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the preeminent organizations in the NFL, with six Super Bowl championships to their name, nearly a century of football in its past, and numerous legends. The team's consistency is unmatched. They've had three head coaches in over 50 years and haven't posted a losing season since 2003. Advertisement As a result, Pittsburgh isn't just an iconic sports franchise. It's an international brand, so when there's news outside of the United States, there's a non-zero chance that a fan is somehow involved. The latest rendition of this phenomenon came on Thursday, when Steelers fans were represented at Pope Leo XIV's initial appearance by way of the Terrible Towel. CBS News' Tony Dokoupil reported that a Terrible Towel made its way to Vatican City. "There are also items that people want blessed," Dokoupil said. "There was even a woman from Pittsburgh who had, if you're a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, the Terrible Towel, the yellow towel they wave at football games. She held that up and wanted a picture." Advertisement The Terrible Towel, of course, is a staple of Steelers fandom. The yellow garment, waved by thousands every fall Sunday, is as Pittsburgh as Pittsburgh gets. It isn't stuck to Acrisure Stadium, either. Fans have flaunted it while the Pittsburgh Pirates pretend to put a competitive team together and when the Pittsburgh Penguins host playoff games. It's a way to claim Western Pennsylvania pride where a fan may reside. Pope Leo XIV, originally Cardinal Robert Prevost, was born in Chicago and is a noted Chicago White Sox fan. It isn't confirmed whether he's a Chicago Bears fan, but it is worth noting that he spent time in Pennsylvania, having graduated from Villanova. The Pope was considered to be a shocking selection by many, especially given the quick turnaround of the conclave, suggesting a favorite had won easily. Prevost is the first American pope in the church's history, and will play a significant role in global politics as the leader of the Catholic church. Among the thousands of people in the Vatican City crowd, at least one holds the Steelers close to their heart. Perhaps his blessing will grant them good fortune as they head into 2025. Related: Football World Praying for Steelers' First-Round Pick Related: How Well Does Kaleb Johnson Fit Steelers Offense?
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
CBS News Reporter Goes Viral for Awkward Comment at Papal Conclave
Crowds gathered at St Peter's Square on Wednesday, as the Papal Conclave to elect the 267th Pope ended with no final decision, marked by black smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel. CBS News was also on-hand to provide coverage of the historic event, though it was one reporter's comment that left viewers shocked. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Asking a papal contributor to explain the process of electing a new pope, CBS' John Allen stated, "The one thing we know they're not doing is checking Instagram, because their devices have all been confiscated." "I believe the kids call it raw-dogging it, if you go through a long period of time with no electronic device," CBS Mornings co-anchor Tony Dokoupil said in a comment that immediately went viral, as awkward laughs erupted and the other panelists quickly changed the subject. Comments immediately poured in, with replies like, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means" and "My that doesn't mean what you think it means!" While the American Dialect Society says it means 'to undertake without usual protection, preparation, or comfort" and has extended to activities such as travel, the vulgar slang term usually refers to having sex without a condom, per Merriam Webster. However, the official account also chimed in with a clarification in the comments. "Not the time or the place to use that term..." another noted, as one comment read, "You know it's a weird timeline when CBS is casually using 'rawdogging' to describe the College of Cardinals." The Papal Conclave is the gathering of the College of Cardinals to elect the next pope to lead the Catholic Church, following the death of Pope Francis at 88. The second day of voting is set to begin around 4 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET), with 133 cardinals from around the world casting their ballots until they reach a decision, at which point white smoke will billow from the Apostolic Palace and a new pope will emerge on the balcony, per NBC News.
