A flagship American news show has had enough of ‘academics and elites’ and these 17 shocked and stunned reactions surely said it best
One of the more worrying aspects of Trump’s return to the White House – and there are plenty to choose form – is the way his administration has not only attempted to cow large sections of the American media but the success with which he appears to be doing it.
We mention this after the CBS Evening News proudly announced to viewers that it had been getting the news all wrong.
Too much listening to academics and the elite, apparently, and not enough taking into account the views of ordinary viewers.
Here’s what anchor Tony Dokoupil had to tell viewers.
“On too many stories, the press has missed the story. Because we’ve taken into account the perspective of advocates and not the average American. Or we put too much weight in the analysis of academics or elites, and not enough on you.”
That changes now. The new CBS Evening News… pic.twitter.com/NKdvRJjYCS
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) January 1, 2026
And it prompted no end of comment and no little shock, as you might imagine. These people surely said it best.
1.
Absolutely! You wouldn’t want “academics and elites” who have actually studied a subject to outweigh the off-the-cuff opinions of village idiots. This is how we’re seeing the resurgence of measles, and the widespread belief in almost non-existent vote fraud, among many other… https://t.co/Ouodl7Flx0
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) January 1, 2026
2.
CBS News has fallen.
Americans must now rely on international news outlets rather than US based state run media for factual journalism. https://t.co/nr2cWBFr82
— Dr. Kevin M. Young (@kevinmyoung) January 1, 2026
3.
TLDR: “We’re adopting the Newsmax/Fox News model of being a propaganda arm of MAGA and shitting on science and expertise.”
— Brad (@b05crypto) January 1, 2026
4.
This isn’t journalism. https://t.co/NIUU2lSnQO
— Kevin Baron (@DefenseBaron) January 1, 2026
5.
Here’s a novel thought: report the damn news. When something is complicated, use real experts to explain it and offer analysis. Most folks tune in to learn, not to be spoon-fed confirmation of what they already believe. https://t.co/7bnJxOtQ0P
— Jaime Harrison (@harrisonjaime) January 2, 2026
6.
“We will be covering the world at a 2nd grade reading-level, and visuals even MAGA will understand.”
— John Collins (@Logically_JC) January 1, 2026
7.
“From now on, what you see and hear on the news will reflect what you see and hear in your own life.”
In other words, just tell us what you want us to say, and we’ll say it back to you, instead of trying to inform you. https://t.co/2pUQuUlp1K
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 2, 2026
8.
“In the past, we have given you the facts. Now, we will give you what you incorrectly believe and want to hear.” https://t.co/xh4mgtQ6ad
— Adam Feldman (@FeldmanAdam) January 1, 2026