NEW YORK — A distinguished newspaper editor who previously led The Washington Post has delivered pointed criticism of today’s media landscape, warning that journalists are losing their shared ethical foundation.
Marty Baron, who also served as editor at The Boston Globe and The Miami Herald, delivered his concerns during a keynote speech at New York University’s journalism awards ceremony on Wednesday. Baron warned that the news industry risks adopting a “to each his own” approach to ethics rather than maintaining unified standards.
“We will be doing ourselves no favors if that turns out to be the case,” Baron stated. “All of us will likely be tainted by the worst practices of any one of us.”
During the ceremony, NYU recognized The Associated Press for its “unyielding defense of ethical standards and principles” after the news organization refused to alter its style guidelines when President Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico. The AP is currently pursuing a lawsuit against the White House over restricted access, with the case pending before an appeals court.
The university also recognized The Atlantic for its transparent reporting when its editor was accidentally added to communications between Trump administration officials and military personnel, along with student journalists from NYU, Stanford, and the University of Texas at Dallas.
Baron acknowledged he might appear preachy but expressed deep concern that journalists cannot find common ground on ethical principles. He advocated for “seeking the truth with humility” as the profession’s guiding principle.
While Baron highlighted exemplary journalism, including Miami Herald reporter Julie K. Brown’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Knight Ridder’s pre-Iraq War coverage from over twenty years ago, he focused primarily on troubling trends he’s observed.
He specifically targeted CBS News leadership under Paramount Global executive David Ellison and his selection of Free Press founder Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief. Paramount is currently seeking Trump administration approval for its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which would also place CNN under its control. Ellison has promised editorial independence for both CBS News and potentially CNN.
Baron took issue with Ellison’s stated goal of targeting Americans who consider themselves politically center-left or center-right, describing this demographic as the country’s majority. “That is a political goal. It is not a journalistic one,” Baron declared.
He argued that news organizations following such guidelines “are fated to compromise ethics when a rock-solid story moving toward publication is deemed to fall outside the designated political comfort zone.” CBS News did not provide immediate response to requests for comment.
The perceived relationship between Ellison and the Trump administration has influenced how observers view CBS News coverage. Critics pointed to the network’s February reporting on ICE arrests during immigration enforcement actions, where initial reports emphasized that 40% of arrestees had no criminal background and only 14% faced violent crime charges or convictions — contradicting administration claims about targeting the “worst of the worst.” Later CBS Evening News coverage shifted focus to highlight that 60% of arrestees did have criminal histories.
CBS News has also drawn attention for extending invitations to Trump administration officials for its table at the upcoming White House Correspondents Association dinner. While such invitations are standard practice across news outlets at the event, they’re receiving heightened scrutiny given the administration’s media criticism.
Baron also condemned “cable networks that function as mouthpieces and bullhorns for the administration, who routinely funnel on-air personalities into its top positions and who supply them with lucrative landing spots when they exit. These outlets render themselves largely indistinguishable from the governments they are supposed to cover.”
His comments preceded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Thursday criticism of journalists from his Pentagon podium. The former Fox News Channel personality accused reporters of “only looking for the negative” in Iran war coverage, comparing them to biblical Pharisees who doubted Christ’s miracles.
“Your politically motivated animus for President Trump nearly completely blinds you from the brilliance of our American warriors,” Hegseth declared Thursday.
Baron criticized media personalities across the political spectrum who view everything through partisan filters, consult only sources who confirm their beliefs, and use isolated facts to support broad conclusions. “This is an outrage and advocacy industry,” he stated, “not a fact-finding profession.”
He also suggested many journalists failed their professional duty regarding former President Biden’s cognitive and physical challenges during his presidency. Baron stepped down from The Washington Post in January 2021, shortly after Biden assumed office.
“Did some among us shy from aggressively exploring his intellectual and physical health for fear of aiding Donald Trump’s campaign and alienating loyal readers, viewers and listeners?” Baron questioned. “My guess is yes. If so, would that be an ethical breakdown in our profession? Again, I’d say yes.”
