We’ll Do It LIVE! — Steve Kroft

Steve Kroft, one of television’s most decorated journalists, delivers a raw, unfiltered reflection on the decline of broadcast news, particularly at CBS and 60 Minutes. He argues that the golden era of journalism—defined by seasoned reporters like Mike Wallace and Dan Rather—has been eroded by corporate disinvestment, the collapse of training pipelines, and a shift toward ideological conformity. Kroft reveals that the current state of newsrooms is less about truth-seeking and more about political alignment, with anchors like Scott Pelley and Leslie Stahl openly hostile to figures like Trump. He recounts his own career with vivid anecdotes—from being told he’d be 'limping for six months' after joining 60 Minutes to interviewing Clinton during the Jennifer Flowers scandal—and exposes the cutthroat, paranoid culture of network news, where 'friendship' often masks professional sabotage. Despite his towering legacy, Kroft admits he wouldn’t do it again, calling the job a 'snake pit' that drained him emotionally and physically. His final verdict? The institution he helped build no longer exists—and that’s a tragedy not just for journalism, but for democracy.