What's Behind Dan Rather's 'Dark Day' Warning?
Dan Rather, 2019. Photo courtesy of Moody College of Communication under CC BY-SA 2.0.
When a titan of television journalism sounds the alarm, ears perk up. Dan Rather, the former CBS Evening News anchor whose career spanned decades and whose name is synonymous with broadcast news, has declared the appointment of Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief at CBS News a "dark day," as reported by the New York Post. His critique is not just about one hire but signals a deeper unease about the future of one of America's most storied news institutions.
A Veteran's Warning
Dan Rather, 93, took to his Substack to express sharp concerns about CBS News' new direction under the leadership of David Ellison, CEO of the merged company formed by Paramount and Skydance Media. Ellison's acquisition of Weiss' independent outlet, The Free Press, and her subsequent elevation to editor-in-chief at CBS News, has stirred controversy. Rather's central argument is that Weiss, a former opinion writer for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, lacks the traditional credentials for leading a broadcast newsroom, as reported by the New York Post. He pointed out that Weiss has never worked in television news nor led a large news staff, yet she now reports directly to Ellison rather than the president of CBS News.
According to Deadline, Rather framed this move as a threat to journalistic independence, warning that CBS News journalists will now face pressure to align their reporting with a political agenda. He wrote that reporters will worry about how their stories and scripts will be received by someone with a clear political bias, suggesting that content critical of President Donald Trump's agenda may be flagged or even suppressed.
The Clash of Old and New
This is not just a personnel dispute. Rather's critique highlights a broader tension between legacy journalistic standards and a shifting media landscape influenced by corporate mergers and ideological realignments. CBS News, once a beacon of independent reporting under pioneers like Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow, now finds itself under the control of a conservative billionaire family with close ties to the Trump administration.
Rather lamented the fading of the network's historic independence, noting that the portraits of television news legends once hung in CBS News halls now seem like relics of a bygone era. He questioned, "Whom and what are we to believe today?," as reported by the New York Post.
Bari Weiss: A Polarizing Figure
Bari Weiss is no stranger to controversy. She reportedly left The New York Times five years ago, citing the paper's shift toward narrow, partisan ideas. Her outlet, The Free Press, is known for its pro-Israel stance and criticism of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Weiss herself has described the current media environment as dominated by extremes on both the far left and far right, which she says do not represent the majority of Americans, as reported by Deadline.
President Donald Trump praised the Ellisons and Weiss, calling them "great" and "big supporters" of his, signaling a political alignment that fuels Rather's concerns about editorial independence, as reported by Straight Arrow News,
Corporate Influence and Editorial Independence
The merger between Paramount and Skydance Media, led by David Ellison, son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, has placed CBS News under new ownership with clear political connections. Larry Ellison is a known Trump backer, and the younger Ellison's role as CEO of the merged company means that CBS News is no longer operating in isolation from political influence.
Rather warned that this corporate influence threatens the network's ability to serve as a watchdog holding power accountable. He wrote that "the American people will pay the price for this move, as will the journalists of CBS News who can no longer credibly serve as watchdogs because the ones they are meant to hold to account are signing their paychecks and hobnobbing with the president," as reported by the New York Post.
A Network at a Crossroads
Rather's critique comes with a personal twist. Once criticized himself for a journalistic misstep involving a discredited story about President George W. Bush's National Guard service, Rather now positions himself as a guardian of media integrity. His warnings about CBS News' new direction underscore a clash between old-guard news values and a corporate-driven ideological reorientation.
The appointment of Weiss, an opinion writer with no broadcast journalism experience, to a top editorial role at CBS News, combined with the network's ownership by a billionaire family closely aligned with Trump, has sparked debate about the future of mainstream media independence.
Whether CBS News can maintain its reputation as a trusted source of information amid these changes remains to be seen. For now, Dan Rather's voice stands as a powerful reminder of the stakes involved when journalistic independence meets corporate and political interests.
References: Dan Rather Says Bari Weiss Hire Marks "Dark Day" At CBS News | Bari Weiss' hiring draws praise from Trump, criticism from Dan Rather | Dan Rather questions Bari Weiss' credentials for CBS role, says hiring is 'dark day' for network
