Media heiress Shari Redstone, who controls CBS News parent Paramount Global, reportedly became angry with network executives over its leftist turn in its coverage of Israel and lobbied them to hire more conservative voices.
According to current and former network executives cited by the Wall Street Journal, Redstone sent clips from other media outlets to senior CBS officials as examples of what she believed to be more balanced coverage of Israel's fight against Hamas terrorists.
She was particularly upset by last spring's “Face the Nation” broadcast, in which the program was critical of Israel after the death of seven aid workers during an attack on Gaza, the Daily reported.
Her fury comes after she called out CBS News president Wendy McMahon last week over her sanctioned disdain for morning show host Tony Dokoupil for grilling author Ta-Nehisi Coates about his harsh criticism of Israel in his latest book.
Redstone – the so-called 70-year-old daughter of late media mogul Sumner Redstone – called Dokoupil to praise him for the difficult interview, and had dinner with the host earlier this week, The Journal reported.
The Post has reached out to Paramount and CBS for comment.
In addition to the Dokoupil scandal, there have been numerous firestorms at the Tiffany Network that have raised questions about journalistic integrity at the former home of Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite.
Last week, the network came under fire for allegedly editing out a “60 Minutes” interview. with Vice President Kamala Harris, I narrowed down the answer to “word salad.” supposedly to make it more consistent.
on Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson ripped for CBS News by cutting short his Sunday interview on “Face the Nation” charging that it was part of a pattern to weaken conservatives.
Republicans were also upset with CBS moderators who sparred with Republican Sen. J.D. Vance during the vice presidential debate against Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz earlier this month.
According to a report in The Free Press.
Redstone — who sold her controlling interest in Paramount to Skydance Media in a deal expected to close next year — reportedly pushed for more conservative voices on the network to balance out what she saw as liberal ones.
She also directed former Paramount Global CEO Robert Bakish to express his concerns to CBS Chairman and CEO George Cheeks before ousting Bakish earlier this year, according to The Journal.
Cheeks, who rose to become a member of Paramount's three-headed management after Bakish's departure, issued a public vote of confidence in McMahon after the Dokoupil fiasco.
The sensitive Sept. 30 interview prompted a staff meeting last Monday, during which McMahon and other news executives accused the anchor of a pro-Israel bias.
Some CBS employees complained to their superiors about Dokoupil and demanded that their concerns about him be raised publicly, while others defended him for practicing fair journalism.
CBS News executives reportedly tried to quell resentment over the hiring of a self-described “mental health expert, DEI strategist and trauma trainer” — only to withdraw the invitation when it emerged he had posted racially insensitive photos of Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
During an emotional meeting last Tuesday, Dokoupil told employees that he “regretted” putting them in a difficult situation, The Post exclusively reported.
Dokoupil, who converted to Judaism, is married to MSNBC anchor Katy Tur.
His ex-wife lives in Israel with their two children.
