CBS CEO and chairman Les Moonves got “The Daily Show” treatment, with host Trevor Noah criticizing the media mogul’s comments cheering Donald Trump for boosting advertising and viewership for the company’s networks.
Donald Trump’s candidacy “may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS,” Moonves said last month at an investor and analyst conference in San Francisco.
Noah highlighted Moonves’ comments that “the money’s rolling in” as the Republican presidential candidates abandon discussion of issues for mudslinging. “The advertising reflects that…it’s a terrible thing to say, but ‘Bring it on, Donald.’”
Noah used the clip to critique American media outlets for putting news judgment on hold to chase the business boost from unnecessary Trump coverage in a segment Monday night.
“Why is it when people say, ‘This is a terrible thing to say,’ they don’t stop talking?” he said. “Whenever the media cover Donald Trump, they make a lot of money. It’s equally true whether they cover news events like debates or non-events that just contain the word Trump.”
Noah then showed a montage of news-network clips showing Trump arriving in cars and planes, and empty stages while waiting for Trump to appear.
CBS and Comedy Central’s parent company, Viacom, are both controlled by mogul Sumner Redstone’s National Amusements. Last month, Moonves was elected chairman of CBS after the 92-year-old Redstone stepped down from the position.