CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King is facing new claims of wrongdoing after the network received backlash over Tony Dokoupil’s heated interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Coates, a pro-Palestinian activist, was talking about his new book, The Message, when Dokoupil, who has family ties to Israel, called Coates an “extremist” and criticized him for not including an Israeli viewpoint.
Coates later accused Dokoupil of taking over the interview but praised Gayle King as a great journalist. However, he also mentioned that before the interview, King went backstage, reviewed his book, and told him she planned to ask certain questions, though she didn’t necessarily agree with the book.
If Gayle King did give Ta-Nehisi Coates specific questions ahead of time, it would be a violation of CBS’s journalistic rules, according to a former CBS reporter who spoke to The Free Press. The reporter questioned whether the network would investigate her actions but doubted it.
DailyMail.com reached out to King’s agent for a comment, but the claim comes during a difficult time for CBS. Tony Dokoupil was reprimanded after a heated interview with Coates, where Dokoupil accused him of not including pro-Israel viewpoints and criticized the book for suggesting Israel doesn’t have a right to exist.
Dokoupil challenged Coates, asking why he didn’t mention the threats Israel faces from surrounding countries and terrorist groups. Coates responded by saying there are already plenty of pro-Israel voices in the media, and his book focuses on stories that aren’t often heard.
Despite this, Dokoupil insisted that readers of Coates’ book might finish it with a negative view of Israel.
Ta-Nehisi Coates’ new book, “The Message,” is a trio of interconnected essays that examine how the stories people tell — or avoid telling — can shape and even distort reality: “I am most concerned always with those that don’t have a voice.” https://t.co/bDsBxZMbah pic.twitter.com/G4WCkI146I
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 30, 2024
He asked, “What I don’t understand throughout this book is, why are you so offended by the idea of a Jewish state that serves as a safe place for Jewish people, but not by other countries?”
He asked, “If Israel has a right to exist, and your answer is no, then why do the Palestinians have a right to exist? Why do 20 Muslim countries have a right to exist?”
Coates responded, “I’m not offended by a Jewish state, but I am against any state that is built on ethnicity. I wouldn’t want a place where people lose their citizenship based on their ethnicity. Apartheid is either right or wrong, it’s very simple. I’m against any state that discriminates based on ethnicity.”
During this tense exchange, Gayle King and co-host Nate Burleson were left in shocked silence.
After the interview, CBS bosses criticized Tony Dokoupil for showing bias on air. CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon said he didn’t follow the network’s standards for being impartial. Adrienne Roark, the President of Content Development, also called a meeting with staff to criticize him.
Roark said, “We still hold people accountable, but we do it objectively, meaning we check our biases and opinions.” She added that the interview didn’t meet CBS’s editorial standards and that the issue has been addressed and will continue to be.
The problem reportedly involved CBS’s Race and Culture Unit, which works with the CBS News Standards and Ethics Department to ensure stories are handled with the right context and tone. This unit was created in 2020 after protests against police brutality following George Floyd’s death.
Some CBS employees believe this unit, with its broad guidelines, has made the network more biased in its decisions, an insider told The Free Press. The insider added, “You notice bias when it’s something you don’t agree with.”
Some CBS staff were angry about how Tony Dokoupil was treated. Jan Crawford, a legal analyst for the network, spoke out against the executives.
At a meeting, she said, “I don’t understand how Tony’s interview didn’t meet our editorial standards. I thought we were committed to telling the truth.” She added that it seemed like they were criticizing one of their own anchors in public, but she wasn’t sure why.
Crawford explained that when someone like Coates shares a one-sided view of a complex issue, journalists are supposed to challenge that perspective so viewers can get the full truth. She felt that’s exactly what Tony did.
Shari Redstone, who controls CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, also disagreed with how CBS handled the situation. A source close to her said she thought Tony did a great job in the interview and showed what civil conversation should look like. Redstone is now working with the CEO to address the issue.
On Wednesday, Paramount co-CEO George Cheeks sent a memo to CBS staff saying the company needs to have a serious conversation about perceptions of bias and unfair treatment.
He acknowledged there’s been growing disagreement within CBS News, which led to an editorial meeting to address the issue. Cheeks said the company must continue discussing the concerns about bias, inconsistent treatment, and how CBS News handles fairness and objectivity.
He emphasized that this isn’t about CBS News stopping tough questions—asking tough questions will always be the standard. He added that CBS hosts and reporters will keep asking the hardest questions on important issues.
Cheeks also said he’s proud of how CBS News handles difficult situations and that everyone, including himself, is committed to improving the process and focusing on delivering accurate, unbiased news, which is more important than ever.
The post A shocking claim has been made about Gayle King. appeared first on HuffBreak.
