Something is deeply wrong within the CBS News newsroom.
In recent months, several concerning incidents have emerged, revealing a serious issue within the editorial department of one of America’s largest news networks. These events point to an editorial team that appears to have been co-opted by activist-cum-journalists, where political biases have overtaken the network’s foundational commitment to accurate and impartial reporting. Equally troubling is the apparent abdication of oversight by editorial management, allowing journalistic standards to erode further.
CBS’s issues are most evident in a series of separate incidents related to the current Israel-Hamas war. These examples highlight that the infiltration of ideological motivations into the newsroom is not a new phenomenon but rather a longstanding issue that has now become glaringly apparent.
CBS Producer’s Terrorist Links Revealed
An HonestReporting exposé in July revealed that a longtime CBS producer, Marwan al-Ghoul, who directs coverage from the Gaza Strip, has close ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and spoke at an official event for the proscribed terrorist group, which has carried out numerous deadly attacks on Israeli civilians.
In 2018, Al-Ghoul was among the speakers at an official PFLP event commemorating one of the prominent members of the terror group who was also Al-Ghoul’s relative.
According to the PFLP website, Al-Ghoul spoke on behalf of the family, which “expressed their gratitude to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and their esteemed comrades everywhere in the Palestinian land . . . for their . . . commitment to continue the struggle.”
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Despite these disturbing revelations, CBS has refused to take any action against Al-Ghoul, declining even to comment on whether the network will continue employing him.
The Ta-Nehisi Coates Fiasco
One of the most high-profile incidents that laid bare the disquiet occurring at CBS was the furor that followed an interview between network anchor Tony Dokoupil and author Ta-Nehisi Coates, who was on a publicity tour for his new essay collection, The Message, part of which tackles the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a move that angered Dokoupil’s colleagues, the veteran journalist challenged Coates on some of the more contentious aspects of his book, including observing that it “would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist,” and highlighting its omission of any mention of Palestinian terrorism.
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This direct line of questioning led to an internal campaign waged by staffers against Dokoupil, who was subsequently reprimanded and forced to apologize by senior management—a decision that Paramount Global’s CEO, Shari Redstone, later reportedly admitted was a “mistake.”
Once again, CBS News did what has now become a pattern—ignored external criticism, refused to reverse its unjust reprimand of a journalist for simply doing his job, and continued down its path of compromising journalistic integrity.
Unbelievable. @CBSNews reprimanded a journalist for doing his job—challenging @TaNehisiCoats‘ limited understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. https://t.co/ZBEBcReNjg
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 8, 2024
Internal Newsroom Orders Over Israel’s Capital
The pervasive anti-Israel bias that has taken over CBS News is perfectly encapsulated in an email sent out by the network’s senior director of standards and practices, Mark Memmott, in August, reminding staff not to refer to Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, as “being in Israel.”
According to the Free Press, the email continued: “Yes, the U.S. embassy is there and the Trump administration recognized it as being Israel’s capital. But its status is disputed. The status of Jerusalem goes to the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel regards Jerusalem as its ‘eternal and undivided’ capital, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem—occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war—as the capital of a future state.”
While the status of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital may be contested, arguing over whether it is actually in Israel is another matter entirely.
Aside from the fact that the Israeli Knesset physically sits in Israel, the Jerusalem Embassy Act, which was passed by the US Congress in 1995, recognizes the city as Israel’s capital. CBS’s stance implies otherwise, suggesting the network has taken it upon itself to unilaterally redefine the borders of a sovereign nation and its capital city.
Creeping Bias in News Stories
In the stories published daily on CBS News’ website, HonestReporting has uncovered numerous incidents demonstrating the organization’s sliding standards concerning its Israel coverage.
Wrong, @CBSNews. There’s plenty of evidence if you can be bothered to look, including provided by the IDF.
Do CBS reporters not bother checking IDF press releases or doing actual investigative journalism?
Let’s take a look at some of what you missed. 🧵https://t.co/SG11KuO0Wa pic.twitter.com/aoVLyIMMZJ
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 28, 2024
Most recently, this has included examples of CBS journalists disregarding established facts from their own previous reports to construct an anti-Israel narrative. For instance, in a piece published last week, CBS claimed that the IDF had “provided no evidence” of Hezbollah weapons being stored in civilian areas—despite the fact that a CBS affiliate had reported on the evidence just a month prior.
Why CBS Must Act Now
These incidents paint a troubling picture of the declining journalistic standards at CBS News, where political bias has eclipsed the fundamental responsibility of reporting the truth. CBS News has lost its way, and without an immediate course correction, it will soon lose its credibility as a news outlet and its reputation along the way.
This starts with demanding that journalists either learn to leave their biases at the door or find another employer. For CBS News to demonstrate its commitment to maintaining editorial standards, rooting out the individuals who are eroding its reputation is where it begins.
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