Shari Redstone Defends Tony Dokoupil Amidst Ta-Nehisi Coates Interview Fallout

The fallout from CBS Mornings co-anchor Tony Dokoupil’s interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates took another turn on Wednesday. Shari Redstone, chair of CBS News’ parent company Paramount Global, publicly defended Dokoupil and expressed disagreement with how network executives handled the post-interview controversy.

According to CNN, Redstone commented on the situation during an Advertising Week panel discussion on antisemitism. “I frankly think Tony did a great job with that interview,” she said, adding: “He showed that there was accountability, that there is a system of checks and balances, and frankly, I was very proud of the work that he did.”

Meanwhile, Redstone voiced stern comments about the network executives who determined that the interview violated CBS News’ editorial standards. “I think we made a mistake,” she remarked. “I think we made a bad mistake this week.”

Redstone dings CBS for a second time during an answer about her post-Paramount career. “I think we made a mistake. I think we made a bad mistake this week.”

— Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) October 9, 2024

Redstone also indicated that she has spoken directly to Dokoupil offering her support. (Paramount Global is in the process of being acquired by Skydance Media, a deal that is expected to close in 2025.)

Redstone said it was “easy” to express her support for Tony Dokoupil yesterday. She also says she spoke to him directly. https://t.co/fKjydeU840

— Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) October 9, 2024

CBS News declined to provide TVNewser with an official comment on the matter, but a source within the network said that Redstone’s remarks have no bearing on how the network handled the issue, which the source said has been “handled respectfully.”

The source also suggested that Monday’s editorial call attended by CBS News and Stations president and CEO Wendy McMahon and president of editorial and newsgathering Adrienne Roark was a culmination of the Coates interview and other previous instances where Dokoupil’s framing of the conflict in Israel had shown a perceived bias.

McMahon and Roark were asked about the interview on that call, and they indicated that it did not meet CBS News’ editorial standards after being reviewed by the network’s standards and practices and race and culture units. According to comments obtained by The Free Press, chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford defended Dokoupil during the call.

On Tuesday, CBS News had an all-staff meeting to discuss the fallout from the interview. According to Puck’s Dylan Byers, it was moderated by a mental health expert, a DEI strategist, and trauma trainer Dr. Donald Grant.

UPDATE: CBS News has invited self-described “mental health expert, DEI strategist and trauma trainer” Dr. Donald Grant to moderate conversation on this issue in an all-staff meeting tomorrow. https://t.co/joG8ixX9MV

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) October 7, 2024