Paramount Co-CEO George Cheeks said the company needs to have “substantive dialogue” about perceptions of bias and “inconsistent treatment,” following the CBS Mornings interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates.
In the interview about Coates’ new book, The Message, which argues that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is immoral, host Tony Dokoupil drew criticism from some for his pointed questioning around Coates’ views. In memo to employees, Cheeks wrote that an editorial meeting should be called to talk about the standards for fairness and objectivity set within the news division.
But he added that hosts should still be allowed to ask tough questions.
“Our hosts and correspondents will continue to ask the toughest questions on the most important and complex issues,” Cheeks wrote.
Full memo below:
There has been strong and growing discord within CBS News that needed to be addressed in an editorial meeting. This must lead to further substantive dialogue about perceptions of inconsistent treatment, implicit bias and the important standards our News division has in place to establish guardrails for fairness and objectivity.
To be clear, this has never been about CBS News’ right to ask the tough question; that is and always will be the standard. Our hosts and correspondents will continue to ask the toughest questions on the most important and complex issues. I’m incredibly proud of CBS News and the way they meet the moment, even in the most challenging times.
Wendy is an outstanding, accomplished leader. She and her leadership team are passionate advocates and stewards for CBS News standards; that won’t change. Reasonable minds in a newsroom will appropriately pressure test and debate internally to ensure balanced and objective coverage externally.
All of us move forward from this moment – including me – committed to reflection, perfecting the process and doubling down in service of the audience when the need for accurate, unbiased news presented in proper context has never been more important.
Read the original article here