"At the same time a long-running family feud among Rupert Murdoch and his children was settled with a deal that will assure Fox News and other powerful media outlets run by the family will retain their conservative bent. The moves deepened concerns among many US media critics and observers of authoritarianism that press freedoms in the US were undergoing capitulation to the Trump administration's rightwing authoritarian leanings."
"At CBS News, parent company Paramount placed Kenneth Weinstein, the former head of the conservative Hudson Institute thinktank, to oversee public complaints. But without a background in journalism and being politically close to Trump, Weinstein is viewed as a potential conduit of administration influence. It could be that Weinstein's appointment represents an effort to turn down the temperature, says Kathleen Culver, director of the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, against the pressure of Trump's frequent complaints of liberal bias in the media."
Conservative influence has increased in US mainstream television news through recent corporate moves and appointments. Larry Ellison's family gained control over Paramount, owner of CBS, and Paramount is reportedly exploring a takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, potentially bringing CNN under the same conglomerate. Rupert Murdoch settled a family deal ensuring Fox News and other family-run outlets will remain conservative. Paramount appointed Kenneth Weinstein, former head of the conservative Hudson Institute, as CBS ombudsman despite lacking journalism experience and having political proximity to Trump. Observers expressed concern that these changes could represent a capitulation of press freedoms or a redesign of coverage for partisan or profit motives.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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