CBS parent Paramount insists that this week's decision to cancel Steven Colbert's “Late Show” was strictly financial, and had nothing to do with politics.

The cancellation from CBS comes after Colbert criticized his parent company on-air for their $16 million settlement with Trump.

Stephen Colbert’s show is being canceled just as a major media merger requiring Trump administration approval moves forward, raising fears of political pressure on the press. On Morning Joe, Molly Jong-Fast calls the moment “really scary” and points to a broader fight: Rupert Murdoch,

The network’s stated reason for canceling the show has the sheen of believability. It’s true that the late-night ecosystem is struggling. Still, Colbert’s show has consistently led the ratings for its time slot. CBS and Paramount Global, The Atlantic contended on Thursday, no longer deserve the benefit of the doubt.