CBS Entertainment, a division of Paramount Global, has ended its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives following lawsuits accusing the company of unlawful discrimination. The policy reversal included ceasing the use of numerical diversity targets, halting the collection of demographic data on applicants, and removing a funding bonus for DEI-related programs. Critics argue that dismantling DEI measures undermines efforts to protect marginalized groups and perpetuates systemic inequalities, while proponents of the change claim a return to merit-based standards.

CBS Studios settled a discrimination lawsuit alleging illegal racial quotas in hiring, resulting in a rollback of DEI requirements in favor of merit-based hiring. The settlement has been framed by conservative groups as a move away from discriminatory practices, while critics warn it undercuts efforts to support marginalized groups and worker protections.

CBS Entertainment, a division of Paramount Global, settled a lawsuit brought by a SEAL Team script coordinator alleging that the company maintained illegal racial hiring quotas. As part of the settlement, CBS and Paramount rolled back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring policies in favor of strictly merit-based decisions—a move seen as aligning with wider anti-DEI pressures in the industry.

Media Bias/Fact Check evaluated CBS News, noting a slight to moderate liberal bias combined with high factual reporting. This left-center orientation suggests a commitment to progressive media values and resistance against authoritarian narratives.

CBS was drawn into an FCC proceeding that has been widely criticized as a politically driven show trial. The commission, under new leadership aligned with the Trump administration, reinvigorated a dismissed complaint alleging 'news distortion' in a 60 Minutes edit involving Kamala Harris. CBS’s editorial practices followed standard journalistic protocols, highlighting its commitment to ethical journalism in the face of overt regulatory politicization.

An opinion article published on February 19, 2025, accuses CBS News of abandoning its legacy of objective reporting by airing segments that effectively advocate for limiting free speech. The piece highlights instances on 'Face the Nation' and '60 Minutes' where hosts and correspondents promoted narratives that align with censorious policies and narrow ideological perspectives, suggesting a broader trend of media bias and ideological propaganda.

An OpenSecrets report indicates that CBS Corp spent $0 on lobbying in 1999, reflecting minimal engagement in political influence activities. The report data was downloaded on February 19, 2025, providing insight into the company's lack of financial influence in the political arena.

CBS Entertainment, alongside Paramount Global and CBS Studios, settled a discrimination lawsuit alleging that DEI policies fined straight White male employees, and subsequently rolled back its diversity initiatives in favor of merit-based hiring. This move, influenced by political pressures amid high-stakes legal challenges from the Trump administration, reflects a shift away from progressive workplace practices.

In early February 2025, following the FCC’s reopening of a previously dismissed proceeding linked to allegations of news distortion stemming from a '60 Minutes' interview, President Trump escalated his lawsuit against CBS by doubling the damage claim and including CBS’s parent company Paramount Global as a defendant. The move, viewed as an attempt to leverage political influence over media freedom and regulatory outcomes, has led CBS executives to engage in settlement discussions amid intense political and regulatory pressure.

The FCC has reopened a complaint against CBS in connection with a '60 Minutes' interview featuring then-Vice President Kamala Harris, scrutinizing the network's editorial decisions. The complaint, part of a broader review of complaints against major broadcasters by Trump’s FCC appointee Brendan Carr, raises concerns over media practices that may undermine balanced public discourse.

A federal magistrate judge in Miami approved a class-action lawsuit against CBS Broadcasting, alleging that per diem employees were exploited with 'slave wages', denied overtime pay and benefits, and subjected to sex and age discrimination through falsified timesheets and discriminatory practices.

CBS Television Studios and the NAACP entered into a multi-year agreement to develop and produce diverse and inclusive programming. The deal includes commitments to allocate at least 25% of the development budget to projects with BIPOC creators and to achieve 40% nonwhite writers in CBS series by the 2021-22 season, reflecting a strong commitment to progressive values and representation.

CBS Television Studios and the NAACP have entered a multi‐year partnership to develop scripted, unscripted, and documentary content aimed at broadening diverse representation and fostering inclusive storytelling across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms. The announcement, made by CBS CEO George Cheeks and NAACP CEO Derrick Johnson on July 15, 2020, highlights the company’s commitment to supporting civil rights and diverse voices in media.

CBS Television and the NAACP have reached a multi-year agreement to develop content focused on the African American experience. The partnership aims to create scripted, unscripted, and documentary programming that promotes diverse and inclusive storytelling across CBS's broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms.