Real Reason Anderson Cooper Left CBS News Amid Bari Weiss & Trump's Hostile Takeover
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Who is Oliver Darcy and what is his background?
Today, I am joined by former CNN senior media reporter. He left CNN and founded Status, an independent media industry newsletter and podcast. Welcome to IHIP News, Oliver Darcy. Oliver, how are you today?
I'm doing well. How are you?
Very well. I mean, I say that, but then you think about what's going on with the government and you're like, can I say that? It's this weird split screen life that we're living.
I'll tell you, I'm not doing as well as Kash Patel in that locker room.
That is so bad, Oliver. It's just so embarrassing that the head of the FBI is behaving that way and stealing valor.
Yeah, quite a moment. But we'll try to be as amped up as him.
Okay, let's get to the CBS and Barry Weiss and Anderson Cooper leaving 60 Minutes. You broke this story and what is the real reason why Anderson Cooper left 60 Minutes?
Well, officially, as you know, he cited family and saying he wants to spend more time with kids. But the reality is behind the scenes, he had grown quite uneasy with the direction CBS News was taking under Barry Weiss and under David Ellison's ownership. And that's according to two people familiar with his decision making on this. He was offered a renewal deal. CBS News came to him. They wanted him to renew. In fact, they not only wanted him to renew, they wanted to make him the face of 60 Minutes and expand his footprint at the network. Barry Weiss was very keen on this. But at the end of the day, I think he decided that he didn't really feel comfortable being associated with Barry Weiss's version of 60 Minutes, her version of CBS News.
And Anderson Cooper does not need the money. He already has a CNN show. He has a hit podcast. And so he ultimately decides, I'm just going to pass on this. I'm not going to be here. And I think the real question is, what happens to 60 Minutes going forward? Is he the first big name correspondent to leave? Or will Leslie Stahl and Bill Whitaker and Scott Pelley and others, will they follow suit soon?
So it's interesting, you know, we all grew up with 60 Minutes. It's just like a part of your childhood, hearing the clock tick. And then you think about the Ellison family. They are multi-billionaires multiple times over. So based on what they're doing, they're not really getting into media. to make money it's just my opinion it looks like they're getting into media to control narratives which is the opposite of what the media should do and what the administration wants which is propaganda channels and so barry weiss's role at cbs is she operating under like just misguided hubris that she thinks she's so great or is she executing larry ellison's desire to control american media narratives despite profit or a little bit of both your opinion
I think it's a mixture of a lot of things. I think Barry Weiss has certainly a point of view that she started her own outlet, The Free Press, with. I think it's often misguided. And I think her editorial philosophy, which I think really comes down to equalizing, but it's like a false, both sides ism, right? Like we're going to give Donald Trump his say, and we're going to give someone else their say, and people can figure it out. And the both sides are, are maybe equal. I think, I think that's been her philosophy. And I think that David Ellison is, has become a big fan of hers. And that's, according to my understanding, I'm talking to people around him. He's a big fan of the free press and he brought her into.
i think um he i believe he thought he was going to digitally invigorate the network with someone who he views as having started a successful digital business on substack but also i think there's no doubt that they want to placate this administration and they want to curry favors so that they can get some additional deals done that require government approval And right now you're seeing them make a hostile takeover play for Warner brother discovery, which is the parent can be a company of CNN and HBO.
What led to Anderson Cooper's departure from CBS News?
And obviously one of those pictures and that deal requires government approval. And their main argument to shareholders is we think we're the best suitor for this company because we are basically friends with the Trump administration.
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