Megyn Kelly, long time conservative commentator and 2025 TIME100 honoree, admitted she doesn’t have “a lot of hope” for journalistic freedom.
“My core belief is that corporate media is dead, whether it knows it or not,” Kelly told TIME. “They really need to wake up not just during the Trump Administration, but during the Democratic administrations too.”
Kelly, who recently announced her new podcast network “MK Media,” was one of several honorees who offered insights into the state of journalism in the current political climate.
Her comments came amid broader conversations about media independence, following the recent resignation of 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, who cited a loss of journalistic freedom. Kelly argued that Owens should “take a hard look” at what he did during his tenure of the show.
“It was under his watch that it went so far left and lost all credibility,” Kelly said. “He let it go out of control to the left. That’s why [Donald] Trump started paying attention.”
CBS News is currently battling against a $20 million lawsuit from President Trump—a lawsuit which centers around a 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. The lawsuit alleges that 60 minutes manipulated Harris’ interview with deceitful editing.
The network released the transcripts of the interview with Harris in February, but 60 minutes has argued that claims of deceitful editing are “false.”
Other TIME100 honorees offered a more hopeful view. ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir reflected on the role of journalism amid breaking news of the passing of Pope Francis. Muir recalled a historic virtual town hall he hosted with the Pope and American families in 2015.
Muir said he will never forget the moment he met the Pope inside the Vatican, after being caught by surprise when the pontiff immediately started speaking Spanish at him. They had agreed to conduct the town hall in Spanish, but Muir was impressed that the pontiff launched right in.
“I knew that he was just taking a measure of the man he was about to spend an hour with on this town hall, which had never been done before,” he told TIME. “It was humbling…We talked about the young people waiting to talk to him, and he was extraordinarily compassionate, moving, and human.”
Muir’s guest for the evening, legendary ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer (who wrote a tribute to Muir for the TIME100), also emphasized the enduring appeal of journalism.
When asked why young people should consider entering the field amid ongoing challenges, she replied, “Curiosity.”
“If you have curiosity, you're on a never-ending path to surprise,” she said.
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The TIME100 Gala is TIME’s annual celebration of the TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people. The Gala brings together icons, leaders, change-makers, and celebrities from across industries and nations for one lively evening of meaningful dialogue and celebration.
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