Firings at CBS' '60 Minutes' reflect the fight for media control in the age of Trump; NPR, June 3, 2026

David Folkenflik, NPR; Firings at CBS' '60 Minutes' reflect the fight for media control in the age of Trump

"The battle royale over the network's most prestigious and profitable news program is part of a broader fight over the direction of CBS News.

And given CBS's acquisition by a billionaire family whose business interests have become intertwined with the political interests of President Trump, it reflects a larger war over control of the media in the current moment.

That father and son, Larry and David Ellison, bought CBS' parent company, Paramount, last summer. In January, they became co-owners of TikTok's U.S. operations. Now they're seeking approval from Trump's regulators to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN."

Star Columnist Fired by Bezos Says Billionaire Is Helping Trump Destroy Democracy; The Daily Beast, October 7, 2025

Tom Latchem , The Daily Beast ; Star Columnist Fired by Bezos Says Billionaire Is Helping Trump Destroy Democracy

"Karen Attiah, 39, told the Daily Beast that America under Trump is on an “authoritarian” slide, enabled by tech billionaires like her former boss Bezos, who are consolidating power over platforms and newsrooms...

“We’re regressing—back to a wealthy class shaping reality to fit what they want,” she said. “Instead, a handful of people [and] companies control what we see. That’s fundamentally anti-democratic. 

“It’s hard to separate Bezos from Musk, from CBS/TikTok. Globally, look at Jared Kushner’s firm with the Saudis buying into Electronic Arts. It’s using money and power to shape how people see the world—and they’re more naked about it.”

Noting that U.S. press-freedom rankings have fallen, and that journalists have been targeted and shot at during protests, she warned Americans to ignore the signs of a move towards fascism at their peril."