Exclusive: Shari Redstone says news outlets need facts, not opinion

• "I think the people's opinions are getting confused with the facts, and I think we still have the same challenge we had before, which is we need more accountability," she told Axios' Sara Fischer.
• "We need more standards. We need checks and balances, and we have to go back to a place where facts are what the news is about and opinions are not facts."

What they're saying: Redstone declined to comment specifically on the furor over ABC's suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, but said she does think media companies need to be mindful given the partisan political environment.

• "I do think we all need to be thoughtful of the content we're putting on air, given the division that exists in this country, and that's not a direct reflection on Kimmel," she said.
• "That's just a much broader reflection on the world we're living in and the responsibility we have to be thoughtful about what content we put on air."

Catch up quick: Redstone was chair of Paramount until it completed its merger with David Ellison's Skydance Media.

• She emphasized that Paramount's decision to cancel "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" was purely a financial one, adding that the discussions had been going on for months before the announcement.
• "I love Stephen, he does a great job, but we really needed to be in a financially viable business and you saw we did that with James Corden as well," she said.

The bottom line: When asked what she was most proud of in her time at Paramount, Redstone quipped "surviving."