The Don Lemon Show LEMON DROP | Mainstream Media Is SO CRINGE!
Mar 26, 2026
Colby Hall, founding editor of Mediaite and media commentator, breaks down how traditional news is adopting podcasty, personality-driven styles. He and Don compare network ratings, discuss misfired pivots toward partisan branding, and critique feel‑good podcast aesthetics that can seem staged. They debate credibility, leadership choices, and whether broadcast news can adapt without losing its point of view.
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Ratings Reveal CBS Strategy Is Misaligned
- Broadcast news ratings are a clear temperature check and declining viewership shows strategy failures.
- Colby Hall argues CBS's pivot to conservative-leaning programming is badly timed as Trump approval and interested audiences are low.
Timing Kills Political Programming Pivots
- Pivoting to court Trump-friendly viewers fails when the political figure's standing is weak and mainstream audiences tune out.
- Hall compares it to stopping a game when your team is getting routed — people simply change the channel.
Broadcast News Is Becoming Obsolete
- Broadcast news is expensive and increasingly irrelevant as audiences migrate to newer formats.
- Hall predicts broadcast news could largely disappear within five years as viewers prefer shows like Don Lemon Live and other digital voices.