Salant was a critical thinker regarding the news media's First Amendment rights and responsibilities. He broadcast the documentary "The Selling of the Pentagon," which "examined the military's manipulation of public opinion and the news media, including CBS". The House Commerce Committee subpoenaed Stanton, regarding this program, ordering him to provide copies of the outtakes and scripts from the documentary. Stanton refused, risking contempt of Congress charges, claiming a "chilling effect" on broadcast journalism that would result from compliance. Among Salant's other concerns during his tenure with CBS News were his concern that television news was becoming primarily an entertainment vehicle and the pressure that he felt from the White House via CBS president William S. Paley to fire Daniel Schorr for his reporting that reflected poorly on the administration of Richard Nixon.