The Scoop: Messy CBS News internal drama worsened by duelling exec statements

CBS News’ internal scrutiny over morning show co-host Tony Dokoupil’s pointed interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates about Israel has now spread far beyond the newsroom.

During the seven-minute segment, Dokoupil said he believed Coates’ that a section of Coates’ new book dealing with Israel and Palestinians in the West Bank “would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist.” He also questioned if Coates just doesn’t “believe that Israel in any condition has a right to exist?”

Coates responded that he was giving a voice to those who don’t have a voice and not provide a “treatise” on the complex conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Ta-Nehisi Coates’ new book, “The Message,” is a trio of interconnected essays that examine how the stories people tell — or avoid telling — can shape and even distort reality: “I am most concerned always with those that don’t have a voice.” https://t.co/bDsBxZMbah pic.twitter.com/G4WCkI146I

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 30, 2024

In a staff call Monday, CBS News chief Wendy McMahon and her deputy, Adrienne Roark, said several journalists in the company had reached out with concerns about the interview. Roark told staff members that “There are times we have not met our editorial standards.” Not everyone agreed, including Jan Crawford, CBS News’ chief legal correspondent, who said she believed it’s a journalist’s responsibility to ask tough questions.

McMahon told staff members during the call that she expected its contents would remain confidential. But a tape of it was posted within hours of the editorial meeting, leading to a new round of discussion about the interview and CBS News’ handling of the situation.

Why it matters: Unfortunately, leaks happen, especially when employees are unhappy or feel unheard.  This incident also shows the deep disagreements that exist in workplaces over the Israel-Hamas conflict, even a year after its genesis. 

In a situation such as a disagreement with a leadership decision, the first thing to do is make sure everyone actually is on the same page, which obviously was not the case here. It’s important to project a unified, cohesive message that shows that the organization is on the same page and ready to move forward.

Unfortunately, for the CBS News team, that isn’t what happened.

McMahon and Roark drew a public rebuke from Shari Redstone, outgoing head of CBS parent company Paramount Global, on Wednesday. She defended Dokoupil, saying network leadership made a mistake. 

“I think we all agree that this was not handled correctly,” she said.

CBS News declined to comment on the recording leak, according to the New York Times. But George Cheeks, a Paramount executive with oversight for CBS News, issued a statement late Wednesday that signaled support for McMahon. Cheeks called her “an outstanding, accomplished leader.” He also acknowledged that the meeting was the result of “strong and growing discord within CBS News that needed to be addressed.” 

Cheeks also proactively addressed any possible fears that the Dokoupil situation would affect reporters’ approaches to interviews in the future.

“Our hosts and correspondents will continue to ask the toughest questions on the most important and complex issues,” Cheeks said.

The sprawling corporate structure of Paramount and CBS meant that multiple executives sounded off on this issue without a clear messaging plan. That created confusion both inside and outside the organization. Was it handled incorrectly or is the leader behind that call outstanding and effective? 

When leaks share internal discord, it’s vital that leaders, at least, have their public statements aligned. The dueling statements are at least as damaging as the leak itself.

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Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.