In the episode titled 'White Noise,' we see Mia sticking to her usual routine of spending the night in the office. As the morning news unfolds, rival networks delve into the extensive email breaches resulting from the UBA hacks. Cory comes into possession of a collection of emails that pose a potential threat to the company. Among them, one particular email catches Cory's attention, and he intends to use it to advance his own agenda. It will also distract the public from Cory's own communications in which he outed Bradley and Laura's relationship in Season 2, something that will no doubt come to light.
Simultaneously, the revelation of Paul Marks' interest in acquiring UBA causes a surge in the company's stock value. Paul reaches out to Cory, who agrees to proceed with the sale at the previously proposed price.
"The Morning Show" quickly reclaims its top spot in the ratings, experiencing a surge after the hacking incident. However, the TMS team is shocked to discover a racist comment made by board member Cybil Reynolds has been leaked online. In the message, Cybil derogatorily refers to the company's new hire, Christina Hunter, as "Aunt Jemima," an offensive racial term. Though the comment deeply affects Christina, Stella takes proactive steps to address the situation.
Cory meets with Chris to address the issue, and Stella and Mia uncover the full extent of the email, revealing a devaluation of the company's employees based on race. Cory persuades Chris not to pursue legal action against UBA for the comments, a decision Chris appears to accept.
Cybil confronts Alex, insisting on an opportunity to clarify her stance, as she's on the brink of facing severe backlash. She successfully convinces Alex to conduct an interview on Alex Unfiltered. Later, Alex, Chip, and Stella persuade Cory that this interview will help UBA salvage its public image amidst accusations of systemic racism. However, Cory is hesitant to greenlight the interview, as it directly impacts his plan to oust Cybil from the board chair and gain approval for selling UBA to Paul. In a subsequent confrontation, Stella calls out Cory for playing corporate games.
The TMS team stumbles upon emails revealing a disparity in payment structures, with racial minorities receiving lower compensation compared to their white colleagues. This discovery sparks frustration and anger among the affected employees. Mia takes action by organizing an open meeting with Stella's assistance. However, the conversation takes an unexpected turn thanks to Yanko, leaving Mia exasperated. Stella and Mia decide to go out for drinks after a heavy day.
In another part of town, Alex pays a visit to Chris at her home and extends an offer for her to conduct an interview with Cybil on TMS. Cory reluctantly agrees to proceed with the interview once Chris expresses her approval of the idea.
Alex prepares Cybil for the interview. However, Cybil is apprehensive about appearing on TMS, believing that the public has already formed a negative opinion of her. Nevertheless, Alex encourages Cybil to go on air and offer a sincere apology for her previous comment. During the interview, Cybil and Chris come face-to-face. Cybil publicly expresses remorse for her hurtful and racially insensitive remark. However, Chris seizes the opportunity to highlight the systemic devaluation and discrimination within UBA, catching Cybil off guard and prompting her to make more ill-advised comments.
Meanwhile, Cory meets with board member Leonard, who, although initially skeptical of Cory, agrees to support the sale to Marks if Cory can effectively handle the situation with Cybil and secure the backing of other board members.
In the end, Cory's gamble with the email appears to pay off. Following the email leak, Cybil is labeled as a racist, and her interview with Christine erodes any remaining sympathy for her. This interview backs Cybil into a corner, despite her prominent position within UBA and her overall influence over the board. Consequently, she transforms into a significant liability for UBA, highlighting the network's failures in fostering a healthy workplace environment. As a result, in the board meeting, there is an overwhelming majority that votes Cybil out of her chair. This development paves the way for Cory to proceed with the sale of UBA, and the board also grants approval for the deal with Paul.
In the concluding moments of the episode, Cory pursues Paul and proposes finalizing the deal now that he has secured the board's backing. However, Paul discloses that he has lost interest in acquiring UBA, possibly also talking to rival company NBN. He had initially sought to purchase a renowned media company with a storied history, but the hacks, leaks, and Cybil's public downfall have shattered UBA's once illustrious reputation. Consequently, Marks no longer regards UBA as a viable choice and appears to withdraw from the agreement.. for now.
