The chaos at CBS is a grim portent for journalism media in the age of consolidation. The legendary 60 Minutes journalist, Scott Pelley, was fired by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and new executive producer Nick Bilton. Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker, and Jon Wertheim promised to stay on, claiming they ‘don’t want to see 60 Minutes die.’ This seems more like a battle for survival than solidarity.

The remaining correspondents, however, are no match for the new management. Bilton’s termination letter reads like a plea rather than a professional statement, questioning Pelley with remarkable incivility and contempt. It’s clear that traditional broadcast journalism is in decline as CBS succumbs to corporate pressures and loyalty over free speech.

The real issue lies at the top: David Ellison, son of tech tycoon Larry Ellison, oversees CBS parent company Paramount Skydance. His involvement suggests deeper issues within the network. The Murdochs might have been less competent, but at least their mendacity was more straightforward.

As broadcast media faces life support across the nation, the Nexstar-Tegna deal enables propaganda channels that echo Trumpian views. Meanwhile, the FCC’s regulatory stance has shifted to speech regulation against those not favoured by the administration. If institutions like 60 Minutes can be undermined, what hope is there for smaller voices?

In a world where scale and profit are king, journalism faces an uncertain future. The death of reliable news could be closer than we think.