Stop the press!

Today, Explained

Vox

Daily News, Politics, News

4.4 • 9.5K Ratings

🗓️ 22 July 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

From Stephen Colbert to Rupert Murdoch, powerful media figures are in President Trump’s crosshairs. And in many cases, Trump is getting his way. This episode was produced by Avishay Artsy, edited by Jolie Myers, fact checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King. Listen to Today, Explained ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members. Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I can finally speak unvarnished truth to power and say what I really think about Donald Trump,
0:07.4	starting right now.
0:09.7	Everyone's wondering why CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
0:13.6	Stephen Colbert is wondering.
0:14.9	How could it purely be a financial decision if the late show is number one in ratings?
0:18.8	A lot of folks.
0:20.1	John Stewart is wondering. The fact that CBS didn't try to show is number one in ratings, a lot of folks. John Stewart is wondering.
0:21.8	The fact that CBS didn't try to save their number one rated network late night franchise that's
0:28.1	been on the air for over three decades is part of what's making everybody wonder,
0:33.5	was this purely financial?
0:36.0	Jimmy Fallon wondering.
0:37.4	I don't like it. I don't like what's going on one bit. These are crazy times. 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 is hitting at the media in so many ways
0:54.7	that it's been hard to keep track of them all.
0:56.9	We're going to make it easier coming up.
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	...

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