Bari Weiss Poised to Join CBS News as Editor-in-Chief as Paramount Nears Acquisition of Free Press

Paramount is on the verge of hiring media entrepreneur Bari Weiss as Editor-in-Chief at CBS News. This comes as the company is finalizing a deal to acquire the digital news platform The Free Press, which Weiss founded as a newsletter in 2021.

Since its inception, The Free Press has carved out a significant following by providing a center-right perspective on journalism. The reported acquisition is valued at approximately $150 million, a figure that has raised eyebrows in the industry, largely attributed to Paramount’s strong interest in bringing Weiss—a former opinion columnist for the New York Times—aboard.

The finalization of the deal is expected on October 6. Should this transpire, Paramount CEO David Ellison will bring a contentious figure to lead a news organization aiming to broaden its appeal.

Weiss’s appointment is bound to spark debate due to her history of critiquing mainstream media and what she describes as “woke” politics, paired with her lack of experience in television journalism and leadership of an organization of CBS News’ scale. Insiders at CBS have voiced uncertainties about what her hiring means for the newsroom, noting Weiss has not made significant efforts to engage with top producers.

Ellison has indicated a strategy to have CBS News actively target center-left and center-right viewers by being recognized for factual reporting. However, external observers are wary of Weiss’s potential influence, especially if her approach mirrors that of The Free Press—where one recent piece was titled “The ‘Jews’ Are a Proxy for a Far Bigger Political Fight.” Such editorial choices could lead CBS News to be perceived as pushing a specific cultural agenda instead of just reporting facts.

CBS News faces the need for a transformation. While shows like “CBS Sunday Morning,” “Face The Nation,” and “60 Minutes” have remained strong performers, their weekday programs—“CBS Evening News” and “CBS Mornings”—have often trailed behind competitors from ABC and NBC. In today’s media landscape, where commentary and opinion have gained traction, the news division seeks to redefine itself. The uptick in Fox News viewership during Trump’s presidency underscores this shift.

“The new owners appear eager to align CBS with Trumpist ideologies, potentially reshaping it to resemble Fox News,” states Mark Feldstein, chair of the journalism department at the University of Maryland. “The culture clash between CBS and The Free Press is stark.”

Additional shifts implemented by Paramount under Ellison have raised concerns within CBS News. Recent decisions have brought figures like former Trump adviser Kenneth Weinstein as an ombudsman for the division, and CBS News has also recently pledged not to edit interviews after facing backlash for cutting content during a segment featuring U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Despite its impressive subscriber count of 1.5 million (both free and paid), The Free Press still trails behind CBS News’s major programs in viewership. “60 Minutes” recently attracted nearly 10 million viewers for its season premiere, while “CBS Evening News,” despite recent challenges, averaged 3.7 million viewers for the week ending September 26. As head of CBS News, Weiss will also influence shows like “Face the Nation,” “CBS Mornings,” and “48 Hours.”

With CBS News already led by president Tom Cibrowski—who recently joined the newsroom—Weiss’s role remains somewhat ambiguous. Cibrowski was appointed earlier this year after his predecessor implemented changes that disrupted the organization’s operations.

CBS News has endured considerable scrutiny amid controversies, including a lawsuit initiated by Trump concerning edits made to an interview with former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on “60 Minutes.” Under pressure to sell its at-risk operations, Paramount agreed to a $16 million settlement with Trump, which was perceived as a compromise for regulatory approval. Given the challenges that have plagued CBS News in recent years, and the exodus of many leaders due to ongoing media industry trials, Weiss’s entry might signify a drastic shift in strategy.

The evolving media landscape has shifted how traditional networks perceive their news divisions, and Weiss’s expected appointment could mark a new chapter for CBS News—one that could favor more distinct editorial stances over just reporting facts and allowing viewers to form their own opinions.