CBS News in Crisis: Letterman Slams Network for Abandoning Integrity
David Letterman, the late-night legend who anchored CBS's lineup for over two decades, has had enough. During a recent appearance on "The Barbara Gaines Show," he delivered a scathing critique of his former network, labeling it as a "wreck" and its current leadership as "idiots."
Letterman's comments came after Bari Weiss's tenure at the network, which saw the promotion of MAGA-friendly anchor Tony Dokoupil to lead the flagship evening news program. The move has been widely panned, with Dokoupil's first week in the spotlight already marred by controversy.
"We're far downstream of the midterms having any effect on this," Letterman said, his frustration palpable. "I'm at a point now where it really is hurting my feelings." His comments echo the sense of disillusionment among many viewers who have grown tired of the network's shifting values and prioritization of partisan reporting.
The criticism comes after Weiss's own tenure was marked by controversy, including her advocacy for a more partisan approach to journalism. Her promotion has been seen as a further erosion of CBS News's reputation for objective reporting.
Letterman's own history with CBS is well-documented, having called the decision to cancel his hand-picked successor's late-night show "gutless." He shared a compilation of his on-air insults of the network on YouTube immediately after the announcement, signaling his deep-seated dissatisfaction.
The future of late-night talk shows and sharp political satire hangs in the balance. With television outlets increasingly prioritizing ratings over journalistic integrity, Letterman's warnings may be more prescient than ever. As one of the most respected voices in journalism, he knows what works – and what doesn't. The question now is whether CBS News will listen to his warnings before it's too late.
David Letterman, the late-night legend who anchored CBS's lineup for over two decades, has had enough. During a recent appearance on "The Barbara Gaines Show," he delivered a scathing critique of his former network, labeling it as a "wreck" and its current leadership as "idiots."
Letterman's comments came after Bari Weiss's tenure at the network, which saw the promotion of MAGA-friendly anchor Tony Dokoupil to lead the flagship evening news program. The move has been widely panned, with Dokoupil's first week in the spotlight already marred by controversy.
"We're far downstream of the midterms having any effect on this," Letterman said, his frustration palpable. "I'm at a point now where it really is hurting my feelings." His comments echo the sense of disillusionment among many viewers who have grown tired of the network's shifting values and prioritization of partisan reporting.
The criticism comes after Weiss's own tenure was marked by controversy, including her advocacy for a more partisan approach to journalism. Her promotion has been seen as a further erosion of CBS News's reputation for objective reporting.
Letterman's own history with CBS is well-documented, having called the decision to cancel his hand-picked successor's late-night show "gutless." He shared a compilation of his on-air insults of the network on YouTube immediately after the announcement, signaling his deep-seated dissatisfaction.
The future of late-night talk shows and sharp political satire hangs in the balance. With television outlets increasingly prioritizing ratings over journalistic integrity, Letterman's warnings may be more prescient than ever. As one of the most respected voices in journalism, he knows what works – and what doesn't. The question now is whether CBS News will listen to his warnings before it's too late.
I feel so bad for David Letterman, still holding onto a network that clearly didn't appreciate him for who he was as a person & a journalist 
He's always been known for his wit & sharp tongue, but this latest criticism from him just breaks my heart 
It's like he's watching a dream fade away. I get why the current leadership is under fire, but at what cost? Losing someone with his expertise & passion would be a huge loss for journalism 
CBS News needs to take a step back, reflect on their values & priorities, and figure out a way to make things right 
David Letterman might be gone from the network, but his words will stay with us forever 
. Nowadays, everything feels so... off 
. And now Letterman's saying they're all "idiots" 
. Can you imagine if he had that kind of clout when he was still on the air? 
I'm not sure what the future holds for CBS News, but it can't be good 
. They've lost their way, in my opinion 
. Letterman's right, journalistic integrity is everything – we need more people like him speaking out 
.
. Anyway, if anyone needs a reminder of what good journalism looks like, Letterman's been delivering for decades 
.
! David Letterman is HONESTLY speaking truth to power and calling out their BS for what it is. I mean, who else is gonna say that the network's leadership is "idiots" when they're shoving MAGA-friendly anchors on our faces? 
. I just hope CBS News listens before it's too late... or we'll be stuck with even more partisan nonsense 
.
i feel bad for david letterman he stuck by them all those years and got nothing but hate back 
and it's not like he's being paranoid or anything, i've seen the way they're pushing out their own talent for younger, edgier hosts 
i mean what's the point of having a late night show if it's just gonna be some generic host talking about whatever trending topic is currently trending? 
i mean, david letterman knows what works in journalism, he has a point when he says they're prioritizing ratings over integrity 
we need more people like him speaking out against this kind of thing 
maybe cbs news will take his warnings to heart and make some changes? 
but until then, it's hard not to feel a bit disappointed in the direction they're heading 
.
. And to think, Bari Weiss was behind all this... it's just a mess.
. We need more people like him who are willing to speak truth to power 
.
The thing that really gets me is how much control these networks have over the narrative 
75% decline in viewership between Q1 2020 and Q4 2022 
Meanwhile, folks like Letterman who actually know what they're doing are being silenced 
. We need more people speaking truth to power 
and I get why Letterman is so salty 
David was always known for his sharp wit and satire 
that would be a huge deal 
you can feel the frustration and disappointment radiating from every fiber of his being... he's not just talking about cbs news, he's talking about the state of journalism in general... the fact that integrity is being sacrificed for the sake of ratings is just heartbreaking 
. The fact that they're promoting Tony Dokoupil to lead the evening news program over someone like Bari Weiss, who's been accused of being partisan, is just laughable 
.