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Paramount Global co-CEO George Cheeks released a memo to staffers this afternoon, defending top CBS News executives for calling out the way that CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokuopil handled an interview last week with author Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Cheeks’ statement came after Shari Redstone, in an appearance at New York Advertising Week, stood behind Dokoupil and said it was a “mistake” for the way that the backlash to the interview was handled. In an internal meeting on Monday, CBS News and Stations President Wendy McMahon and Adrienne Roark, president of editorial and newsgathering, said in the staff meeting that the interview did not meet the network’s editorial standards.
“There has been strong and growing discord within CBS News that needed to be addressed in an editorial meeting,” Cheeks wrote in his memo. “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.”
He added, “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.”
In the interview, Dokoupil challenged Coates’ criticisms of Israel in his most recent book, which chronicled his travels to the region to observe the conflict with the Palestinians.
Dokoupil said at the start of the interview that the book “would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist.”
“Why leave out that Israel is surrounded by countries that want to eliminate it?” said Dokoupil, who was joined by co-hosts Gayle King and Nate Burleson.
“Why not detail anything of the First and the Second Intifada, the café bombings, the bus bombings, the little kids blown to bits? And is it because you just don’t believe that Israel in any condition has a right to exist?”
Coates answered, “There is no shortage of that perspective in American media. That’s the first thing I would say. I am most concerned always with those who don’t have a voice, with those who don’t have the ability to talk.”
Redstone said at this morning’s event that she thought Dokoupil “did a great job” with the interview. “I think he handled himself and showed the world a role model of what civil discourse is.”
She said that, “As hard as it was, frankly, for me to go against the company, because I love this company, and I believe in it, and I think we have a great, great executive team, I think they made a mistake here.” She said that “I don’t have editorial control. I am not an executive, but I have a voice in our platform, like all of us, and as you may know, I don’t hesitate to use it.”
In the memo, Cheeks also called McMahon “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.”
He added, “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.”
