MS NOW host Jonathan Capehart works for a network that openly presents itself as an outlet for progressives, but when he joined Friday’s PBS News Hour to discuss Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros.—which would include CNN—Capehart hilariously claimed “that the media isn't necessarily liberal.” Host Geoff Bennett actually kicked things off with The Atlantic writer and podcaster David Brooks, “And if the deal closes, it means that one family, in this case, the family that has been so far deferential to President Trump, would control CBS, CNN, HBO, and TikTok. How do you see it?”   In non-Iran news, after David Brooks gave a sort of centrist take on Paramount aquiring Warner Bros., Jonathan Capehart hilariously claims "Well, I would argue that the media isn't necessarily liberal, when you look at the fact that the number one cable channel and the number one… pic.twitter.com/EJUIP3FdYm — Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) February 28, 2026   Brooks gave a rather uninspiring centrist answer. On one hand, he acknowledged, “I have found media business incredibly boring and pointless. And I have been able to do that because I worked at Dow Jones, News Corp, New York Times, PBS. I have worked at all these agencies. And the business structure of the business had no effect on me. There's never been a moment in my career where I had the sense that somebody on the business side of things was going to try to influence anything I ever did.” However, he also lamented, “But that seems to be changing. And the malefactor here is Donald Trump. Once Trump starts playing political favorites among—whether it's Anthropic versus OpenAI or whether it's Netflix versus Paramount, then, of course, the companies have to be mindful of that.” Reverting to his first instinct, Brooks conceded that new CBS News chief Bari Weiss’s intention to shake things up is not unreasonable, “And I'm a guy who—I don't know Bari Weiss particularly, but I support what they're trying to do. I think it's time to mix up the media. That we got a little too progressive, a little too elite, and if Bari Weiss can change the mind-set, all power to her.” Flip-flopping again, Brooks lamented, “But if this is being done for lobbying and business, which it sure looks like it is, then that's the real deterioration in the business we're in.” Even that centrist position was too much for Capehart, “Well, I would argue that the media isn't necessarily liberal, when you look at the fact that the number one cable channel and the number one viewing channel is Fox News Channel.” Proving that he hasn’t watched CBS since the Weiss takeover, Capehart continued, “This idea that there are liberals out there running around through the media indoctrinating people and changing—you know, setting the narrative, I just think is wrong. I think bringing a Fox-like mentality and demeanor to CBS News and potentially to CNN, I think in the end makes the American people worse off.” He also added, “Our job as journalists, and I'm speaking specifically of CNN in this case in this deal. Folks turn to CNN for news. They turn to them for just what is happening in the country. And if what's happening at CBS is bound—could happen at CNN, then our country and our profession will be in worse shape.” Brooks would respond, “One reason Fox exists is because all the other mainstream networks don't have Trump supporters.” That is correct, but it includes PBS. It is also ironic that Brooks, the supposedly conservative half of Brooks and Capehart, spends most of his time agreeing with Capehart. Here is a transcript for the February 27 show: PBS News Hour 2/28/2026 7:46 PM ET GEOFF BENNETT: And if the deal closes, it means that one family, in this case, the family that has been so far deferential to President Trump, would control CBS, CNN, HBO, and TikTok. How do you see it? DAVID BROOKS: Yeah, I have found media business incredibly boring and pointless. And I have been able to do that because I worked at Dow Jones, News Corp, New York Times, PBS. I have worked at all these agencies. And the business structure of the business had no effect on me. There's never been a moment in my career where I had the sense that somebody on the business side of things was going to try to influence anything I ever did. But that seems to be changing. And the malefactor here is Donald Trump. Once Trump starts playing political favorites among—whether it's Anthropic versus OpenAI or whether it's Netflix versus Paramount, then, of course, the companies have to be mindful of that. And I'm a guy who — I don't know Bari Weiss particularly, but I support what they're trying to do. I think it's time to mix up the media. That we got a little too progressive, a little too elite, and if Bari Weiss can change the mind-set, all power to her. But if this is being done for lobbying and business, which it sure looks like it is, then that's the real deterioration in the business we're in. BENNETT: How do you see it, Jonathan? JONATHAN CAPEHART: Well, I would argue that the media isn't necessarily liberal, when you look at the fact that the number one cable channel and the number one viewing channel is Fox News Channel. This idea that there are liberals out there running around through the media indoctrinating people and changing—you know, setting the narrative, I just think is wrong. I think bringing a Fox-like mentality and demeanor to CBS News and potentially to CNN, I think in the end makes the American people worse off. Our job as journalists, and I'm speaking specifically of CNN in this case in this deal. Folks turn to CNN for news. They turn to them for just what is happening in the country. And if what's happening at CBS is bound—could happen at CNN, then our country and our profession will be in worse shape.