Bari Weiss Appointed Editor-in-Chief of CBS News Amid Controversy
Bari Weiss has been appointed editor-in-chief of CBS News following Paramount's acquisition of her media company, The Free Press, for $150 million, sparking debate.
'What the F—?': CBS News Staffers Melt Down Over New Boss Bari Weiss
Washington Free Beacon
'What the F—?': CBS News Staffers Melt Down Over New Boss Bari Weiss
Washington Free Beacon
Paramount buys The Free Press ; Bari Weiss joins CBS leadership
World News Group
Bari Weiss named CBS News editor-in-chief in acquisition of the Free Press
Washington Examiner
Overview
- Paramount Skydance Corp. acquired Bari Weiss's The Free Press for $150 million, aiming to enhance quality journalism in their media portfolio.
- Bari Weiss has been appointed as CBS News' editor-in-chief, a role that reports directly to Paramount CEO David Ellison.
- The Free Press, founded in 2021, has grown to 1.5 million subscribers, maintaining independent operations under Weiss's leadership.
- Weiss's appointment has raised concerns among CBS News staff and liberal media figures about a potential rightward shift in editorial direction.
- Weiss aims to make CBS News the most trusted news organization while appealing to right-leaning viewers, amidst fears of impacting ratings.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story as a positive, strategic move to revitalize journalism by emphasizing the stated goals of "independent," "balanced," and "diverse" reporting. They highlight The Free Press's self-proclaimed "heterodox" identity and its commitment to challenging "ideological narratives," often echoing the promotional language of Paramount and Bari Weiss. The coverage largely omits critical perspectives on the implications of this acquisition.
"This move is part of Paramount’s bigger vision to modernize content and the way it connects – directly and passionately – to audiences around the world."
Bloomberg"Weiss paints a picture of two increasingly powerful extremes — "an America-loathing far left" and a "history-erasing far right" — and says the majority of "smart, politically mixed, pragmatic Americans" who fall somewhere in between are not being well served."
NPR"Ms Weiss, who has criticised broadcast media for becoming too partisan, said she was excited to put her stamp on CBS, which was taken over by David Ellison earlier this year as part of a wider merger with Paramount."
BBC News"The Free Press acquisition is a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" she is excited for, promising subscribers that the "journalism based in curiosity and honesty," wouldn't be going anywhere."
USA TODAY"Paramount said Monday that it has bought the news and commentary website The Free Press and installed its founder, Bari Weiss, as the editor-in-chief of CBS News, saying it believes the country longs for news that is balanced and fact-based."
Associated Press"The combination brings together CBS News' scale and reach with The Free Press' culture-shaping voice and innovative spirit, united in the pursuit of setting a new standard for trusted journalism in America."
CBS News"This partnership allows our ethos of fearless, independent journalism to reach an enormous, diverse, and influential audience."
NBC News"We are thrilled to welcome Bari and The Free Press to Paramount and CBS News."
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FAQ
Bari Weiss is an American journalist who worked as an op-ed and book review editor at The Wall Street Journal from 2013 to 2017, then as an op-ed staff editor and writer on culture and politics at The New York Times from 2017 to 2020. She founded the media company The Free Press in 2021 and hosts a podcast called Honestly.
The Free Press is a media company founded by Bari Weiss in 2021 that has grown to 1.5 million subscribers and maintained independent operations. Paramount Skydance Corp. acquired The Free Press for $150 million, which led to Bari Weiss being appointed editor-in-chief of CBS News.
Weiss's appointment raised concerns among CBS News staff and liberal media figures due to her conservative background and views, sparking fears of a rightward shift in CBS News’s editorial direction and potential impacts on the network's ratings and reputation.
Bari Weiss aims to make CBS News the most trusted news organization while also appealing to right-leaning viewers, balancing trust and ideological breadth.
History
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