48 Comments
User's avatar
Arkansas Blue's avatar

I hope Bill Owens starts a competitor program to 60 Minutes at an independent news channel (if there is any such thing anymore) and I hope all the current 60 Minutes correspondents quit CBS and join him, wherever he goes.

It has been clear for some time now that so-called "legacy media" is owned by billionaires who are in bed with the orange felon.

Expand full comment
Steve 218's avatar

I've wished the same for all of the good journalists and writers at the Washington Post.

Expand full comment
Marliss Desens's avatar

Perhaps we should be calling it Corporate Media.

Expand full comment
Arkansas Blue's avatar

They are corporate media already, since they all belong to some corporation. Better would probably be "billionaire media."

Expand full comment
Marliss Desens's avatar

Yes, that is a perfect name.

Expand full comment
Arkansas Blue's avatar

Thank you. I will call it that from now on.

Expand full comment
Get rid of Bone spurs's avatar

I am 64 and have been watching 60 minutes since I was a kid. My family had it on every Sunday night. I always found its stories captivating, entertaining, and I never doubted what I was watching was accurate and the truth. I am extremely upset that the CBS management has bowed and genuflected to the orange corpuscle! It just proves the old adage "follow the money". Is there no ethics and integrity left in the country where generations of men and women have fought and sacrificed to make us great! God save us all!

Expand full comment
Rachel the Insomniac's avatar

I'm 64 also. My parents had 60 minutes on every Sunday night as well and my mom is still watching it. What has happened is just sickening.

Expand full comment
Ruth Shane's avatar

So long, 60 minutes, and thanks for all the fish.

And thank you, Marvin Kalb, for this heart-wrenching elegy for a once-shining jewel in the tarnished crown of CBS.

Expand full comment
Kathie Cook's avatar

I'm 73 and have been watching since a kid like the message below. I am saddened by how greed wins out again over independent and honest reporting. Something that I could trust. So that is it for me and my husband. No more CBS nightly news and farewell 60 Minutes. It was a good run. I'll miss you.

Expand full comment
Karen Richards's avatar

I guess I’ll have to stop watching CBS Sunday morning too. Very sad and scary to watch the authoritarian regime taking over.

Expand full comment
Steve 218's avatar

Both CBS Sunday Morning and Meet the Press have gotten seriously watered down.

Expand full comment
Erin King's avatar

This was one of the last major network shows-60 Minutes- I watched because I trusted the good and honest JOURNALISM that seems to be left in our country!! Is there anything we can do about this ?

Expand full comment
Patricia Bowles's avatar

Marvin, your journalistic integrity is without peer. Thank you for continuing to accurately report the truth. We are eternally indebted and grateful for your efforts.

Expand full comment
Steve 218's avatar

Dan Rather's site on Substack has the same level of quality journalism. Highly recommended.

Expand full comment
Patricia Bowles's avatar

Steve, I agree and am also subscribed to Steady. I remember before Cronkite, there was Douglas Edwards, and the correspondents stationed in various outposts like the then USSR by Mr. Kalb. Their tireless work developing leads to provide accurate reporting gave America the edge. This changed when Congress changed the FCC rules and regulations which allowed the networks to be purchased and the sacred cow news division was irreparably harmed. According to the original legislation of the FCC, “the airways belong to the people.”

Expand full comment
Steve 218's avatar

Other names like Morley Saffer, Edward R. Murrow, Eric Severeid, and more recently Katie Couric and Gwen Ifill come to mind as well.

Remember when networks had to include public service programming? The news was part of this until, as you note, the rules were changed.

Expand full comment
Patricia Bowles's avatar

That was part of the FCC mandated “Fairness Doctrine” which was then dismantled. Regarding correspondents, I remember Daniel Shorr, Irving R Levine (Rome) and Bernard Kalb. I fondly remember them. Mr. Kaleb’s present article indirectly begs the question of truth, money, and country over a prospective deal. Remember John Hancock’s large signature on the famous document? It was there for a reason. He was an extremely wealthy landowner and pledged his fortune to the endeavor for Liberty. Who among us today would be willing to do the same today?

Expand full comment
Steve 218's avatar

It's likely that few among us readers have that kind of financial resources to do this. The best most of us could have done is sign up for military service or go into public service endeavours.

Expand full comment
John Mocenigo's avatar

Ellison's acquisition of Sun Microsystems as good as destroyed it and that was ostensibly a business he could understand. I fear there is no hope for a media company under Ellison control.

Expand full comment
Dwight's avatar

This article is a “must-read”. I am going to share it with my Facebook friends. Unfortunately, those good people who need most to read it will not. Thank you for this excellent piece.

Expand full comment
Ginny Moos's avatar

Oh come on. Once again, in the words of Nancy Pelosi as she leaned over Donald” …with you, all roads lead to Putin.” The bullying, the cringing, whining, is all because of this. I watched the two segments on 60 Minutes the Sunday it was broadcasted. Which is unusual for me, as any corporate news curls my toes since the election. How anyone, but Donald, could find trouble with those 2 reports, I don’t know. Both were entertaining, tastefully produced interviews. His response is junior high type nonsense. A classless bully.

Expand full comment
Michael deCamp's avatar

I hope all the public media can watch with joy as the private media owned by billionaires slowly fart in their own faces. There are several sources of real news, real media. We will win!!🏆

Expand full comment
Tim Matchette's avatar

You bet, well said.

Expand full comment
Markin's avatar

60 minutes doesn’t need CBS but CBS needs 60 minutes. Walk out. Start over we will subscribe.

Expand full comment
Will King's avatar

Why don't all the reporters and staff quit en masse? Why stay with a stained brand? Put up or shut up!

Expand full comment
MacroV's avatar

They may yet.

Expand full comment
Wendy horgan's avatar

News icons. Disappeared.

Expand full comment
Nancy Gilbert's avatar

I can't express my abject disappointment in this news. I have watched this program for years because of direct and uncompromising news and the honesty in every program. There is no replacement anywhere for the kind of news and subject matter covered on 60 minutes. The thought that another person whose integrity and moral standards has been beaten by the system as it is used by a con man with no moral standard, is beyond disheartening.

Expand full comment
Susan LeFever's avatar

CBC has a comments page: https://www.cbs.com/showfeedback/

Expand full comment
Irena's avatar

Thanks for the link. I used it.

Expand full comment