The situation at CBS News get so hot earlier this month, it seemed everyone could benefit from a summer slowdown.
CBS has more than its share of problems, from ratings to HR. But the more the situation comes into view, the network news operation is, first and foremost, in the midst of a PR crisis that has, in recent days, become somewhat dormant but is by no means closer to the end than it is to the beginning.
It starts at the top. Network news editorial chiefs have never been famous, nor should they be. The only way they accomplish notoriety is via infamy and that is what has happened to Bari Weiss, the CBS editor-in-chief who has gone from having a cause celebre upon leaving the New York Times and starting The Free Press, known primarily to journalism insiders and those in the upper crust rooting for the “anti woke.” Now, because of all of the attention involving changes at CBS, she is not quite a household name, but far from anonymous, referred to frequently as “embattled” (never a good sign for executive reputation). She has become a flashpoint herself, which, when that happens, is detrimental to the company’s brand.
The actions of the company, though, speak even louder. From a PR and change communications standpoint, the biggest challenge is that what the company says is not what the company is doing. The company acknowledges transformation is in order and with that, it’s impossible to disagree. Linear TV’s audience is shrinking, particularly with viewers younger than 55. News organizations need to reach audiences when, where and how audiences demand. CBS needs to evolve quickly to survive. But unless they’re doing something they’re not sharing with us, it’s not happening.
Here’s the track record known to the public so far:
-Paid off the President of the United States to the tune of $16 million to settle a bogus lawsuit involving 60 Minutes editing to help clear the way for a sale
-Eliminated its Saturday morning news program
-Changed anchors on the CBS Evening News, something the company has done frequently for more than 30 years. The new anchor has promised “more transparency,” whatever that means.
-Closed the CBS News Radio network after 99 years
-Fired three 60 Minutes correspondents and multiple behind-the-scenes leaders from the most-watched news program in Prime Time
-Experienced a ratings decline in weekday mornings, long a challenge.
What do audiences think about CBS News now?
Based on the evidence presented in news coverage about this saga, many think that the network is in the tank for the Trump Administration. Based on the ratings, some, at least, think everything’s pretty much the same. But from a PR standpoint, what many would say may actually bode the worst for the company.
To borrow a line from “Mad Men” character Don Draper, “I don’t think about you at all.”
If they’re serious about fixing their PR issues, that has to change. Otherwise, they continue down two simultaneous paths: Distrust and irrelevance.