Stop the press!

Summary

Today, Explained: Episode Summary – "Stop the Press!"

Release Date: July 22, 2025

Hosts: Sean Rameswaram and Noel King
Produced by: Avishai Artsy
Edited by: Jolie Myers, Laura Bul, Check the Facts, Patrick Boyd

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1. The Sudden Cancellation of Stephen Colbert's Late Show

Key Discussion:
The episode opens with the unexpected announcement that CBS has canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Hosts Noel King and guest David Folkenflik delve into the possible reasons behind this surprising decision, weighing financial turmoil against potential political pressures.

Notable Quotes:

• Stephen Colbert announces the cancellation:
  "Before we start the show, I want to let you know something that I found out just last night. Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending the Late show in May." [00:27]

• David Folkenflik on CBS's decision:
  "It's an odd thing because CBS has been discussing the future of its late night properties for a long time, and the economics of late night are pretty bad." [20:38]

Insights:

• While CBS claims financial losses as the primary reason—"the Late show was losing tens of millions of dollars a year" [20:25]—there are underlying tensions suggesting political motivations.
• The cancellation coincides with increased hostility from President Trump towards media outlets, raising questions about potential pressure influencing CBS's decision.

2. President Trump's Legal Assault on the Media

Key Discussion:
David Folkenflik, NPR's media correspondent and author of Murdoch's World, provides an in-depth analysis of President Donald Trump's aggressive legal actions against major media organizations, particularly focusing on his lawsuits against the Wall Street Journal and CBS.

Notable Quotes:

• Folkenflik on Trump's lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal:
  "Trump is suing the Wall Street Journal. He's suing Rupert Murdoch, which is an extraordinary turn of affairs for these two powerful figures." [04:04]

• On the broader impact of Trump's actions on media trust:
  "He's designating as not trustworthy... It's all fake news." [06:48]

Insights:

• Trump’s lawsuit stems from the Wall Street Journal's publication of a controversial letter allegedly from Trump to Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday.
• The president's legal battles are part of a broader strategy to undermine media credibility, labeling unfavorable reports as "fake news."
• Folkenflik highlights the alarming trend of using litigation and regulatory pressure to intimidate and control media narratives.

3. The CBS and Skydance Merger Amid Political Pressure

Key Discussion:
The conversation shifts to CBS's multibillion-dollar merger with Skydance Media, exploring how political pressures, particularly from the Trump administration, are influencing corporate decisions and regulatory approvals.

Notable Quotes:

• Folkenflik on the settlement with Trump:
  "CBS 100% settled the Trump litigation rather than taking it to trial because they need this transaction to close." [16:33]

• On FCC's role and political influence:
  "Brendan Carr... is not a fan of DEI programs... the FCC has publicly interest goals... Trump is using regulation to shape the news." [18:17]

Insights:

• CBS settled a $16 million lawsuit with Trump to facilitate the merger with Skydance, suggesting financial imperatives overshadowed legal disputes.
• The FCC, under Chairman Brendan Carr, is scrutinizing broadcast licenses with a newfound ideological lens, particularly targeting organizations like CBS.
• The merger's approval is entangled with political maneuvers, potentially delaying or derailing corporate strategies.

4. The Climate of Fear and Its Impact on Media Institutions

Key Discussion:
Noel King and David Folkenflik discuss the pervasive fear within Hollywood and media institutions, where criticism from figures like Trump can lead to significant repercussions, including cancellations and resignations.

Notable Quotes:

• Folkenflik on the atmosphere of fear:
  "There's a real fear around Hollywood that you say something that the President doesn't approve of and all of a sudden you got a target on your back." [25:35]

• Colbert's response to cancellation:
  "If you're trying to figure out why Stephen's show is ending... I think the answer is in the fear and pre-compliance that is gripping all of America's institutions." [25:06]

Insights:

• The cancellation of Colbert's show is perceived not just as a financial decision but also as a reaction to political intimidation.
• The media landscape is increasingly characterized by self-censorship and fear of retaliation, undermining journalistic integrity and independence.
• High-profile resignations and public criticisms from within CBS reflect growing internal strife and concern over external political pressures.

5. Public and Industry Reactions to Media Suppression

Key Discussion:
The episode explores the broader reactions from celebrities, industry insiders, and the public regarding the suppression and control of media narratives by political figures.

Notable Quotes:

• Folkenflik on CBS News' internal response:
  "The response at CBS News has been pretty alarmed... two executives at CBS News quit over this issue." [17:27]

• Celebrity endorsements:
  Julia Louis-Dreyfus publicly stands with Stephen Colbert, signaling industry solidarity against perceived political overreach. [24:10]

Insights:

• There is significant disappointment and concern within the entertainment and journalism communities about the erosion of media freedoms.
• High-profile support for affected journalists and shows underscores the perceived threat to free speech and independent reporting.
• The climate of hostility towards the press is fostering a cautious environment where media organizations must navigate complex political landscapes to maintain their operations.

6. The Future of Independent News Under Political Influence

Key Discussion:
David Folkenflik and Noel King contemplate the long-term implications of political interference in media, questioning the sustainability and independence of news organizations in such an environment.

Notable Quotes:

• Folkenflik on potential outcomes:
  "Throughout all the pressure during this deal and the sale to Skydance, none of the 60 Minutes stories actually changed. So will that be the same under David Ellison and the new Skydance regime? We don't know." [26:06]

• On government influence over news:
  "He (Trump) is using the levers of government to change the news." [19:05]

Insights:

• The potential merger between CBS and Skydance could set a precedent for increased political influence over media content and editorial decisions.
• The ongoing legal and regulatory battles signify a troubling trend where government and political figures attempt to shape media narratives to align with their agendas.
• The episode concludes with an open question about the future autonomy of news organizations and the robustness of journalistic standards in the face of mounting political pressures.

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Conclusion:
"Stop the Press!" provides a comprehensive examination of the intricate dynamics between media organizations and political power, highlighting the precarious position of journalism in a polarized environment. Through incisive discussions and expert insights, Noel King and David Folkenflik shed light on the threats to media independence posed by financial struggles and political intimidation, encapsulating the challenges faced by contemporary news institutions.

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Advertisements and sponsorship messages have been excluded from the main content summary to maintain focus on the episode's key discussions.

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

I can finally speak unvarnished truth to power and say what I really think about Donald Trump.

[Noel King]

Starting right now, everyone's wondering why CBS canceled the Late show with Stephen Colbert. Stephen Colbert's wondering how could it purely.

[Stephen Colbert]

Be a financial decision if the Late show is number one in ratings? A lot of folks.

[Noel King]

Jon Stewart is wondering the fact that.

[Stephen Colbert]

CBS didn't try to save their number one rated network late night franchise that's been on the air for over three decades is part of what's making everybody wonder, was this purely financial?

[Noel King]

Jimmy Fallon wondering?

[David Folkenflik]

I don't like it. I don't like what's going on one bit. These are crazy times.

[Noel King]

Elizabeth Warren is asking questions. Sean won't stop sending links on. Today explained. We may never really know whether CBS canceled Colbert because politics or because his show was losing money, but President Trump has hitting at the media in so many ways that it's been hard to keep track of them all. We're gonna make it easier. Coming up.

[Stephen Colbert]

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[Matt Bellany]

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[Noel King]

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[Stephen Colbert]

You so you can fast forward through.

[Matt Bellany]

Editing images, designing presentations, generating code, debugging code, summarizing meeting notes, finding files, managing.

[Stephen Colbert]

Your schedule, responding to Jim's long emails.

[Noel King]

Leaving all the time in the world.

[Matt Bellany]

For the things you actually want to do. No offense, Jim.

[Noel King]

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[Stephen Colbert]

At $[e-mail] AI AI PC.

[Noel King]

You'Ve done it again.

[Stephen Colbert]

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[David Folkenflik]

Today.

[Noel King]

Today. I'm Noel King. David FK is with me now. David is NPR's longtime media correspondent and he wrote a book called Murdoch's World about the man who owns the Wall Street Journal. All right, so let's go back to last Thursday night. President Trump's supporters have been demanding the release of the Epstein files. Everyone's on edge or in Reddit looking for proof of something.

[Stephen Colbert]

And then, then the Wall Street Journal breaks a story that does not show any criminal wrongdoing by Trump, but it certainly shows a coziness between Trump and, you know, perhaps the most notorious convicted sex offender in the nation's recent history. Jeffrey Epstein, by relaying a description of a doodle, kind of obscene doodle, and a note that the President is said to have sent two decades ago on the occasion of Epstein's 50th birthday. Now, according to the Journal, the letter contains, quote, several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appears to be hand drawn with a heavy marker. A pair of small arcs denotes the woman's breasts. And the future president's signature is a squiggly Donald below her waist, mimicking pubic hair.

[David Folkenflik]

The letter concludes happy birthday and may.

[Stephen Colbert]

Every day be another wonderful secret. Trump had then posted, you know, essentially that he had told Rupert Murdoch this wasn't true.

[David Folkenflik]

Social. The Wall Street Journal printed a fake letter supposedly to Epstein. These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also I don't draw pictures.

[Stephen Colbert]

I told Rupert Murdoch it was a.

[David Folkenflik]

Scam and that he should not print this fake story. But he did, and now I'm going.

[Stephen Colbert]

To sue his ass off and that.

[David Folkenflik]

Of his third rate newspaper. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

[Stephen Colbert]

The President's press secretary said much the same publicly on Friday. And Trump delivered on his promise. He's suing the Wall Street Journal. He's suing Rupert Murdoch, which is an extraordinary turn of affairs for these two powerful figures, two titanic figures on the American landscape, particularly of the right, who have been allied for a decade and now are, you know, at least legally at loggerheads.

[Noel King]

You wrote a very well regarded book about Rupert Murdoch. Let me ask you something on behalf of the skeptics. Donald Trump says that birthday letter is not real. That is not my wr. Could it ever be true that the Wall Street Journal would claim this exists?

[Stephen Colbert]

If it doesn't, is there any potential, you know, I want to remain agnostic on all kinds of things until we've seen it. We have not, for example, seen a replica of the doodle or the note itself. And that's, you know, I think something a lot of people are looking for. On the other hand, I would say the Wall Street Journal has decades long tradition preceding Rupert Murdoch, but including the proprietorship and owner of Rupert Murdoch since he bought the paper in 2007, of doing incredible work and having amazing lawyers and amazing lawyers do two things. They can fight ferociously in court, but they also review things with, from what's been described to me by editors and reporters I've talked to over the years with a very careful degree of scrutiny. I don't think you publish something like this without Feeling that you are confident that this is accurate and that this is fair.

[Noel King]

Do you have any insight into why the Wall Street Journal wouldn't just show a picture of it, of the letter, of the doodle?

[Stephen Colbert]

It's one of the great questions of the day that the Journal has not so far answered publicly. And one would imagine that either they have it and will produce it, or that they will get it and produce it. But there are worlds in which there could be some watermark on it. It could be part of some legal proceeding that we don't know about. It could have come from some source where to reproduce it would somehow reveal either the source or a small pool of people from whom it could have come.

[Noel King]

All right, so what does President Trump want to get out of a lawsuit against the Journal and Rupert Murdoch? What's the aim?

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, the aim is probably multifold. The aim is to exact vengeance against news organizations that dare to report troubling things about him in this second term, when he has really fully blossomed the idea that he is the executive. The executive is all powerful, and he is all powerful, and people should not fall on the wrong side of him. What this does on the outset is saying to his supporters, you don't have to pay attention to this. This is bullshit. What it does is that it, I think, expands the universe of the press that he's essentially designating as not trustworthy. CNN is scum, and so is msdnc.

[David Folkenflik]

They're all.

[Noel King]

And frankly, the networks aren't much better.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's all fake news. But it's very consistent with what he said to lesley stahl of 60 minutes many years ago when he was first running for president, which is, why do you do this? Why do you call us the fake news? Why do you attack us? And he said, you know why I do it? I do it to discredit you all and demean you all. So when you write negative stories about me, no one will believe you. And I think it serves as a warning for other news organizations, particularly ones that might be more sympathetic or more political in nature in his favor not to do things that might discomfit him because even the great Rupert Murdoch can come under his thumb.

[Noel King]

David, in addition to the lawsuits, Trump has also barred the Wall Street Journal from the press pool on a trip that he's taking to Scotland for people who are not reporters. What's the significance of that?

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, essentially saying, I get to dictate who gets to cover me on behalf of the American people. And it's intended to be a Warning, as he did for the Associated Press. Let's remember that it was, you know, what, 60 years and just a few months ago that the President said, said to the Associated Press, you can't cover me in Oval Office events in smaller settings because the Associated Press just refuses to go with what the law is and what is taking place. It's called the Gulf of America now. It's not called the Gulf of Mexico any longer. And so he punished the Associated Press. And although judge ruled mostly against him, basically, Trump is able to prevail. It's his White House in certain smaller settings, you know, they can't force the AP inside. And Trump saying, I don't care who you're owned by. I'm willing to do this to any of you. And they're doing us no favors. And I guess I'm not doing them any favors. That's the way life works.

[Noel King]

What other media organizations has the President punished in the last, I don't know, 18 months? And how so?

[Stephen Colbert]

Look, the President as a private citizen before taking office in January, he sued ABC and cbs, and without having to go through all the details, he got their parent companies to pay up, you know, 15, $16 million each toward his future presidential library on cases that were seen by legal scholars as certainly winnable. In the case of cbs, just, you know, somewhat farcical. He alleged in an interview last year that his former rival, Kamala Harris, she did this interview on CBS 60 Minutes, and that it was deceptively edited in a way that helps helped her and hurt him. She gave an answer that was so.

[David Folkenflik]

Bad that they changed it.

[Stephen Colbert]

The outlet maintains they edited the interview for clarity and length. He also won significant money from Meta and from Twitter from X.

[David Folkenflik]

President Trump has signed an agreement with Meta to settle a lawsuit that he filed against the company and its CEO for suspending his account after the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

[Stephen Colbert]

Twitter cited the risk of of Trump inciting further violence as part of an.

[Noel King]

Effort to remain in the White House.

[Stephen Colbert]

Trump claimed Twitter violated his First Amendment right to free speech. He's gone to the courts. His regulator, Brendan Carr, elevated to be the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, has opened formal inquiries or investigations of every single major network in the country except the Fox broadcast network, which is owned, of course, by Rupert Murdoch, who has been, at least until now, a major ally of the president on the political right. He, you know, has gone after PBS and npr. The order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies to stop funding National Public Radio and pbs.

[Noel King]

It's to stop what Trump is calling.

[Stephen Colbert]

Biased and partisan news coverage. God, the list goes on and on. It's like, it's almost like, who hasn't he done this to, right? So there are ways in which he's targeted that seem small, but there's an effort to say not only that the press is somehow an outside and critical force, but that it is an enemy at the gates and we don't want to let it inside. And it strikes me that you can't really interpret this without viewing this as an effort to control almost any source of independent or outside information that could allow people to draw their own conclusions that run in a contrary decision than the president. I've been turned, I don't know how you feel, but I've been turned in basically a full time legal reporter, you know, almost. I cover the media. I've covered the media since 2000 and never have I found myself reading court records more. Never have I found myself in more courts, in different courtrooms, federal state, in different parts New York and Washington, having to follow stuff in Florida. There has just been a lot. And it's part of where we're at right now. And Trump is like, you know what, I'm gonna lead the charge on that. I'm gonna, not only that, I'm gonna model how you can go after the press.

[Noel King]

David Folkenflick is NPR's media correspondent. Coming up, the Colbert Report.

[Matt Bellany]

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[David Folkenflik]

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[Stephen Colbert]

Call your cable provider and kindly demand.

[David Folkenflik]

Today Explained is added to your lineup.

[Stephen Colbert]

Call and subscribe today.

[Noel King]

We're back with Matt Bellany. Matt is a founding partner of Puck and he's host of the Town Podcast. Recently, owing to drama, Matt has been writing quite a bit about CBS's CB mess, starting with the president suing over that interview with Kamala Harris that he claimed was deceptively edited.

[David Folkenflik]

That lawsuit ended with a $16 million settlement by CBS and no admission of guilt or apology. But the message in that settlement was that Trump can bring what most observers believed was a frivolous lawsuit against a media company and extract a pretty big settlement if that company needs something out of the federal government. And in this case, CBS very much needs the FCC to approve the transfer of its license to Skydance to close that $8 billion transaction.

[Stephen Colbert]

Here at CBS, our parent company, Paramount Global has agreed to a multibillion dollar deal to merge with the production company, Skydance Media.

[David Folkenflik]

The deal makes Skydance founder David Ellison.

[Stephen Colbert]

A new Hollywood power player, but it also lands him with a host of challenges.

[Noel King]

And there was a lot of speculation, as you just said, that this was the reason CBS settled. What do you think? Is that right?

[David Folkenflik]

Yeah, I think CBS 100% settled the Trump litigation rather than taking it to trial because they need this transaction to close. And the Trump administration made it pretty clear that closing this transaction was helped along by paying the settlement money to the president.

[Noel King]

CBS News is a pretty old school, straight arrow news organization. What was the response from that newsroom when their parent company Paramount settled?

[David Folkenflik]

The response at CBS News has been pretty alarmed, I would say, both internally and in the public sphere. We've seen the two executives at CBS News quit over this issue. We've seen big CBS News talent like Leslie Stahl and Steve Kroff go public with criticisms of the deal.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sherri Redstone, who is the head of Paramount, she's the owner of Paramount, right? She wants to sell it. Yes. She has a couple of billion dollars. They've got like an $8 billion deal on the table. Yes. And $2 billion she's going to get. So she wanted the sale to go through.

[David Folkenflik]

It's been a very traumatic time for CBS News through this whole process. And it doesn't look like it's over yet. That deal has still not been approved.

[Noel King]

Why has it not been approved yet?

[David Folkenflik]

The FCC has the power to review the transfer of broadcast licenses. It has pretty broad discretion over the reasons for not approving it. If they determine that the broadcaster is not acting in the public interest, then they can hold up this deal pretty much indefinitely. There's no appeals process. There's nothing that someone can do if the FCC decides to sit on a broadcast transfer. So Brendan Carr, the chair of the fcc, he has made it very clear that he's not a fan of DEI programs.

[Stephen Colbert]

The Biden administration has pressed the FCC to break hard left, and it has. The Biden administration has put ideology over smart policy.

[David Folkenflik]

He believes that CBS News has a bias against conservatives. There's A lot of people in this.

[Stephen Colbert]

Country right now on the radical left that are upset about this investigation into CBS and the work that I'm doing on broadcasters.

[David Folkenflik]

And he has been quizzing the powers that be at both Skydance and Paramount about those policies and about the news direction. And he wants some kinds of concessions in order to approve this deal.

[Noel King]

Hmm. On top of that, President Trump likes to punish people. So I hear you saying there's a chance here that Paramount, that Sherry Redstone still does not get what she wants.

[David Folkenflik]

There is a small chance. I think what has been happening over the past few months and the fact that Sherry Redstone is also a Republican donor and a friend of President Trump, I think all of those facts are going to coalesce around this deal getting approved, but not before Trump has exacted his pound of flesh, so to speak.

[Noel King]

All right, so you have the CBS newsroom pushing back, people resigning, retiring, and then a prominent public critic of Trump's gets his show canceled on cbs.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, hey, everybody.

[Noel King]

When did you learn they were taking Stephen Colbert's Late show off the air?

[David Folkenflik]

I learned when everyone else did.

[Noel King]

Yeah.

[David Folkenflik]

It was a total surprise.

[Stephen Colbert]

Before we start the show, I want to let you know something that I found out just last night. Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending the Late show in May.

[David Folkenflik]

And it's an odd thing because CBS has been discussing the future of its late night properties for a long time, and the economics of late night are pretty bad. The Late show was losing tens of millions of dollars a year. Still is. The 12:30 show, James Corden, are you ready? That was canceled when Corden left. It was replaced by a show that was about half as expensive to produce. Hello, I'm Taylor Tomlinson, and welcome to the last episode of After Midnight. And then that show went away when the host decided that she didn't want to do it. Colbert has been under the microscope for a long time. Late show was the leader in the category, but it was only averaging about 2.5 million viewers a night, down significantly from what we all remember as the heyday of late night. It's the Late show with David Letterman. It's the Tonight show with Jay Leno.

[Matt Bellany]

It's Late night with Colin O'Reilly.

[David Folkenflik]

And Colbert has particular challenges as the CBS host. Both Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel have big digital footprints, their bits and stunts and monologues. Those travel online a lot further than the Colbert monologue does because they have tried and really emphasized those platforms. So you have Stephen colbert With about 10 million YouTube followers, subscribers. Jimmy Fallon has triple that. Jimmy Kimmel has double that. The average age of a Stephen colbert Viewer is 68 years old.

[Noel King]

Wow.

[David Folkenflik]

Yeah. But all of linear television is getting older, older, older. And Colbert was at the tip of that spear.

[Noel King]

So it is possible that politics did not have anything to do with this.

[David Folkenflik]

I wouldn't say it had nothing to do with this.

[Noel King]

Okay.

[David Folkenflik]

I think the cloud that has been hovering over CBS certainly informed the climate in which this decision was made. But I don't think the primary motivator for canceling a big franchise like this was the momentary politics. I do think the economics played a large factor, an overwhelming factor in this decision.

[Noel King]

How has Stephen Colbert handled this? What is he saying?

[David Folkenflik]

Colbert has been very classy about this. No surprise there.

[Stephen Colbert]

I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners.

[David Folkenflik]

He addressed his staff backstage. He has been very matter of fact. He's been talking about how great of a run.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I've had the pleasure and the responsibility of sharing what we do every day with you in front of this camera for the last 10 years. And let me tell you, it is a fantastic job.

[David Folkenflik]

He also has been given 10 months to stay on the show. This cancellation is not immediate. It's only at the end of this season. And I think we're gonna see what he really thinks. During that time, I can finally speak.

[Stephen Colbert]

Unvarnished truth to power and say what I really think about Donald Trump starting right now. I don't care for him. Doesn't seem to have, like the skill set. Doesn't have the skill set to be president, you know, just not a good fit, that's all.

[Noel King]

I saw Julia Louis Dreyfus today on Instagram. I think it was saying, you know, I stand with Stephen Colbert. What's been the reaction from the famous people community? What are other celebrities and late night hosts saying?

[David Folkenflik]

I think there's disappointment on two levels. One, Colbert has just been a class act throughout his career. People love him, people love doing the show. It's been very helpful to people in promoting their projects and going on the show. So I think there's a real disappointment and anger over this cancellation. Secondly, I think there's a real fear going on right now, regardless of what actually happened. The optics are so bad here that it really feels like the criticism of people in power is being scrutinized right now like never before.

[Noel King]

Canceling Colbert is an obvious move to appease Donald Trump. And I need to tell y' all something. If you don't think we are under.

[Matt Bellany]

A regime with an authoritarian strategy, then you are bugging.

[Noel King]

This is textbook authoritarian rule.

[Stephen Colbert]

So here's the point. If you're trying to figure out why Stephen's show is ending, I don't think the answer can be found in some smoking gun email or phone call from Trump to CBS executives or in CBS's Quickbook spreadsheets on the financial health of late night. I think the answer is in the fear and pre compliance that is gripping all of America's institutions at this very moment. Institutions that have chosen not to fight the vengeful and vindictive actions of our pubic hair doodling commander in chief.

[David Folkenflik]

I think there's a real fear around Hollywood that you say something that the President doesn't approve of and all of a sudden you got a target on your back.

[Noel King]

My guess is that Colbert is going to be fine. He'll do a podcast or something. Stephen, call me, but I do, I do. As a journalist, I do worry a lot about news and whether news organizations should be beholden to these corporate interests. To a person like Shari Redstone who has, you know, her own, her own motives, is this a complaint I should have lodged 40 years ago? Like, how, how worried are you about all of this?

[David Folkenflik]

Well, there's always been a push pull in the news business between the corporate interests of the owners and the job that the news organization is doing for the viewers. In part, that's the reason why the FCC has these public interest goals in mind at federal level. The thing that's changed here is that the Trump administration has been using this public interest, essentially regulation over the news business to try to shape it in its own image and to get the kind of coverage that it wants to get and that it thinks its supporters want to get. And that to me is new and potentially very dangerous because you have very powerful people using the levers of government to change the news. Throughout all the pressure during this deal and the sale to Skydance, none of the 60 Minutes stories actually changed. So will that be the same under David Ellison and the new Skydance regime? We don't know. We'll see.

[Noel King]

Puck's Matt Bellany. He's host of the Town podcast. Today's show was produced by Avishai Artsy and edited by Jolie Myers. Laura Bul. Check the facts and Patrick Boyd is the only engineer. I'm Noel King. This is Today Explained.

[Stephen Colbert]

So that's it. I'm gone. Just like in May.