Connie Chung criticizes CBS' 'Greedy Owners,' blames them for causing network to 'crash into crumbles'

Veteran journalist Connie Chung openly expressed her disappointment with CBS News, reflecting on the network where she made history as the second woman to co-anchor a major network evening newscast in 1993.

On the December 4 episode of the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast, the 79-year-old news veteran sharply criticized the current state of her former network. When asked about watching CBS today, Chung responded, We dont. I cant.

She elaborated, The news landscape has shifted entirely. Theres so much opinion that the pursuit of truth has become secondary. Audiences struggle to find reliable facts, and it deeply troubles me.

Chung emphasized that CBS is no longer the organization she once knew. She recounted her tenure co-anchoring CBS Evening News with Dan Rather and highlighted the networks former commitment to journalistic independence.

Earlier this year, Skydance Media acquired CBS parent company, Paramount, in an $8 billion deal, shortly after CBS News settled a lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit alleged deceptive editing of former Vice President Kamala Harris 2024 campaign appearance on 60 Minutes. Paramount ultimately agreed to pay $16 million to Trumps future presidential library as part of the settlement, raising concerns about media companies yielding to political pressure.

Chung placed the blame for CBS decline on its current ownership. CBS has now been taken over by greedy owners, Shari Redstone, partnering with David Ellison, she said. Their greed has caused the venerable CBS to actually disassemble, to crash into crumbles.

She also questioned the appointment of Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief, noting Weiss lack of experience managing a major news organization. Chung expressed doubt that Weiss could restore CBS to its former standard of reporting.

Reflecting on CBS earlier leadership under William Paley and Frank Stanton, Chung praised their dedication to journalistic autonomy and protecting the press from corporate pressures. Now, that sense of social responsibility has been dismantled. Reporters are supposed to be watchdogs of government, but that mission is under threat, she said.

Chung highlighted a recent incident in October, where Pentagon reporters relinquished their press passes in protest after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded strict coverage restrictions. It was appalling, and I admire their courage. Theyre trying to do their job while being silenced, she remarked.

Chungs comments underscore a growing concern about the state of major news organizations amid corporate ownership and editorial shifts.

Author: Connor Blake