Latest news with #legacy
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is Colbert's Ouster Really Just a ‘Financial Decision'?
The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. Updated at 10:20 a.m. ET on July 18, 2025 Building an empire takes decades. Destroying it can take only a few years, and sometimes the vandals are in the palace, not outside the gates. For much of the 20th century, American broadcast television revolved around three networks: NBC, ABC, and CBS. William S. Paley, CBS's longtime CEO, made sure that his company—the Columbia Broadcasting System—was a leader among them. The network was home to Edward R. Murrow, who brought World War II in Europe home to Americans on CBS Radio; after the war, Murrow's reporting played a pivotal role in bringing down Senator Joseph McCarthy. Walter Cronkite dominated American evenings from his perch at the Evening News. And from the days of Mike Wallace to the more recent era of Lesley Stahl and Scott Pelley, 60 Minutes set the standard for long-form television reporting. Yet CBS's current ownership seems determined to demolish this legacy. This evening, the network announced plans to end The Late Show With Stephen Colbert when the host's contract ends next May. Late-night personalities come and go, but usually that happens when their ratings sag. Colbert, however, has consistently led competitors in his time slot. CBS said this was 'purely a financial decision,' made as traditional linear television fades. Perhaps this is true, but the network that once made Cronkite the most trusted man in America no longer gets the benefit of the doubt. CBS's owners have made a series of decisions capitulating to President Donald Trump, and the surprise choice to allow Colbert—a consistent, prominent Trump critic—to walk seems like part of that pattern. One reasonable starting date for the trouble would be 2016. That was both the year that Trump was first elected president and the year that Sumner Redstone, the cussed but aging owner of CBS's parent company, Paramount, surrendered control to his daughter, Shari Redstone. In 2023, Shari Redstone began seeking a buyer for the company, eventually striking a deal, in 2024, with Skydance. The merger requires federal approval. During the 2024 presidential campaign, 60 Minutes interviewed Kamala Harris, Trump's Democratic opponent. Trump sued CBS, alleging that the network improperly edited her interview. As supposed evidence, he cited different excerpts of the interview that had aired on different CBS shows. (If CBS was seeking to hide anything, then airing the clips on its network wasn't a very effective way to do it.) He demanded $20 billion, a sum that was preposterous especially because—as most First Amendment lawyers agreed—the suit had no merit. But Trump had major leverage: He won the November presidential election, giving him a role in approving the proposed Skydance-Paramount merger. During his first term, he'd already demonstrated his willingness to use his approval power to punish political opponents in the media, unsuccessfully seeking to block the merger of AT&T and Time Warner. Since the election, CBS has seemed eager to please Trump however it can, though the company continues to insist the merger has no bearing on its decisions. The network handed over transcripts of the 60 Minutes interview to Brendan Carr, the close Trump ally appointed to lead the Federal Communications Commission. In April, the 60 Minutes chief Bill Owens, a widely respected journalist, stepped down. 'It's clear the company is done with me,' he told staff during a meeting. In a memo, he elaborated: 'Over the past months, it has become clear that I would not be allowed to run the show as I have always run it, to make independent decisions based on what was right for '60 Minutes,' right for the audience.' Some of the shows' reporters, who are not prone to histrionic statements or partisanship, raised alarms in interviews and speeches. Earlier this month, CBS agreed to a $16 million settlement to end Trump's lawsuit. The agreement doesn't pay Trump directly, but the network agreed to pay legal fees for him and a co-plaintiff, and to contribute to Trump's future presidential library. Trump has stated that the deal also includes unspecified 'advertising,' reportedly for public-service announcements that boost Trump-approved causes. Paramount denies this. Now comes Colbert's departure. If the reasons are truly financial, one wonders how his salary compares to the money spent to settle a dubious lawsuit. The president now seems favorably disposed toward the merger. Last month, he spoke highly of Skydance head David Ellison, who is the son of Oracle founder and Trump pal Larry Ellison. Still, the deal has not yet been approved by the FCC. Paramount's and Skydance's executives have demonstrated that they aren't interested in defending CBS's journalism or its editorial independence, to the detriment of not only the network's historical reputation but also the many excellent journalists still working there. Journalism, along with Colbert's program, makes up only a small portion of Paramount's portfolio, and so business executives might view sacrificing them to preserve a deal as a prudent, if cold-blooded, maneuver. But the recent experience of another Columbia—Columbia University—offers a warning. When assailed by the Trump administration, the university's administration struck a conciliatory stance, trying to make a deal with the president. The capitulation only encouraged Trump, who then sought a judicial decree for oversight of the school. (The two parties are still in talks.) What happened at Columbia is the same thing Trump has done to many other adversaries: If you give him an inch, he'll take a yard, and immediately scheme to grab a mile, too. Institutions that are willing to sacrifice their values for the government's favor are likely to end up with neither. This article originally misstated CBS's full name as 'Columbia Broadcasting Service.' Article originally published at The Atlantic Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Film & TV fraternity pays emotional farewell to Dheeraj Kumar
Hema Malini, Siddharth Roy Kapur and Eisha Singh The Indian entertainment fraternity gathered for the prayer meet of veteran actor, producer and director Dheeraj Kumar , honouring his immense contribution to cinema and television. Bollywood legends Hema Malini and Jackie Shroff were among the many who attended, along with Poonam Dhillon, Rakesh Bedi , Mukesh Rishi, Deepak Parashar, Tej Sapru, Ramesh Goyal, Raza Murad, Tinaa Ghaai, Vidhi Ghai, and Surendra Pal. (Poonam Dhillon at the prayer meet) Also present were producer Ganesh Jain, singers Padma Shri Soma Ghosh and Madhushree, Eisha Singh, Shehzad Khan, producer Manish Goswami, and Kobbi Soshani, Consul General of Israel. Producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, Munmun Dutta, Ashoke Pandit, Kripa Shankar Singh, and B.N. Tiwari (President, FWICE) paid their respects. Close family friend Dr. Dharmendra Kumar and Sunil Gupta, CFO of Creative Eye Ltd., were also in attendance. The gathering reflected the deep admiration Dheeraj Kumar inspired across generations. Known for his 70s and 80s films and for producing meaningful, family-centric shows, he was widely regarded as a visionary with 'unwavering integrity.' Condolences were extended to his wife Zuby Kochar and family members Inder Kochar and Ashutosh Kochar, as the industry stood united in honoring his life and legacy. Emotional farewell: Industry icons salute Dheeraj Kumar one last time
BreakingNews.ie
13 hours ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Starmer holds ‘constructive' call with Taoiseach on Troubles legacy plans
Sir Keir Starmer stressed the importance of 'consensus' in handling the legacy of the Troubles as he spoke to Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Friday. In a phone call with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the UK prime minister had what Downing Street described as a 'constructive discussion' on dealing with the legacy of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland. Advertisement A Number 10 spokesperson said the two men had 'underscored the importance of a way forward that built consensus', before turning to economic issues and the UK-EU relationship. Mr Martin himself echoed Downing Street's comments, tweeting that he had had a 'constructive discussion with British PM Keir Starmer today on a framework for dealing with legacy'. The call came as Mr Starmer faces pressure from some of his own backbenchers over plans to repeal and replace legislation passed by the previous government that halted investigations into all but the most serious allegations involving Troubles-related cases. Downing Street and the Taoiseach described the conversation as 'constructive' (Peter Byrne/PA) The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act has been criticised by human rights campaigners for granting conditional immunity to suspects. Advertisement That provision was ruled incompatible with human rights laws by the Northern Irish courts, prompting Labour to commit to replacing legislation it described as 'flawed and failed'. But that proposal has brought condemnation from former British soldiers who fear it will open the way to vexatious prosecutions and civil claims. Opponents are also reported to include some Labour MPs, including veterans minister Al Carns. A former Royal Marine and special forces officer, Mr Carns was reported by The Times to be considering resigning over plans to repeal the Legacy Act. Advertisement But earlier in the week, Downing Street said the UK government was 'working in lockstep' on the issue. A UK Ministry of Defence source also played down the prospect of Mr Carns quitting, but told the PA news agency it was a 'tricky issue' and 'when you are making policy there is always going to be debate internally'.
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Starmer holds ‘constructive' call with Taoiseach on Troubles legacy plans
Sir Keir Starmer stressed the importance of 'consensus' in handling the legacy of the Troubles as he spoke to his Irish counterpart on Friday. In a phone call with Taoiseach Micheal Martin, the Prime Minister had what Downing Street described as a 'constructive discussion' on dealing with the legacy of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland. A Number 10 spokesperson said the two men had 'underscored the importance of a way forward that built consensus', before turning to economic issues and the UK-EU relationship. Mr Martin himself echoed Downing Street's comments, tweeting that he had had a 'constructive discussion with British PM Keir Starmer today on a framework for dealing with legacy'. The call came as Sir Keir faces pressure from some of his own backbenchers over plans to repeal and replace legislation passed by the previous government that halted investigations into all but the most serious allegations involving Troubles-related cases. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act has been criticised by human rights campaigners for granting conditional immunity to suspects. That provision was ruled incompatible with human rights laws by the Northern Irish courts, prompting Labour to commit to replacing legislation it described as 'flawed and failed'. But that proposal has brought condemnation from former British soldiers who fear it will open the way to vexatious prosecutions and civil claims. Opponents are also reported to include some Labour MPs, including veterans minister Al Carns. A former Royal Marine and special forces officer, Mr Carns was reported by The Times to be considering resigning over plans to repeal the Legacy Act. But earlier in the week, Downing Street said the Government was 'working in lockstep' on the issue. A Ministry of Defence source also played down the prospect of Mr Carns quitting, but told the PA news agency it was a 'tricky issue' and 'when you are making policy there is always going to be debate internally'.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Starmer holds ‘constructive' call with Taoiseach on Troubles legacy plans
Sir Keir Starmer stressed the importance of 'consensus' in handling the legacy of the Troubles as he spoke to his Irish counterpart on Friday. In a phone call with Taoiseach Micheal Martin, the Prime Minister had what Downing Street described as a 'constructive discussion' on dealing with the legacy of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland. A Number 10 spokesperson said the two men had 'underscored the importance of a way forward that built consensus', before turning to economic issues and the UK-EU relationship. Mr Martin himself echoed Downing Street's comments, tweeting that he had had a 'constructive discussion with British PM Keir Starmer today on a framework for dealing with legacy'. The call came as Sir Keir faces pressure from some of his own backbenchers over plans to repeal and replace legislation passed by the previous government that halted investigations into all but the most serious allegations involving Troubles-related cases. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act has been criticised by human rights campaigners for granting conditional immunity to suspects. That provision was ruled incompatible with human rights laws by the Northern Irish courts, prompting Labour to commit to replacing legislation it described as 'flawed and failed'. But that proposal has brought condemnation from former British soldiers who fear it will open the way to vexatious prosecutions and civil claims. Opponents are also reported to include some Labour MPs, including veterans minister Al Carns. A former Royal Marine and special forces officer, Mr Carns was reported by The Times to be considering resigning over plans to repeal the Legacy Act. But earlier in the week, Downing Street said the Government was 'working in lockstep' on the issue. A Ministry of Defence source also played down the prospect of Mr Carns quitting, but told the PA news agency it was a 'tricky issue' and 'when you are making policy there is always going to be debate internally'.
