🔗 Share this article

Paramount has named former New York Times commentator Bari Weiss to lead CBS News, representing the latest initiative by current leadership to restructure operations of one of America's leading news outlets.

Paramount is also buying The Free Press, the web-based platform Weiss founded after her contentious exit from the New York Times, in a agreement said to be worth $150 million.

Ms Weiss, who has questioned network journalism for becoming excessively biased, said she was excited to put her stamp on CBS, which was acquired by David Ellison in recent months as part of a larger merger with Paramount.

Profile of the Executive

Ms Weiss, who started her career at Jewish media organizations, is noted for her support of Israel and her criticism of "woke culture".

Beginning as a digital bulletin in 2021, The Free Press has accumulated 1.5 million readers, including over 170,000 paid subscribers.

It has received recognition for reports such as a article skeptical of NPR by one of its former business editors, as well as an analysis of some photographs used by mainstream news outlets to showcase famine in Gaza.

Notable contributors include scholar Niall Ferguson and economic thinker Tyler Cowen.

Strategic Plans

Mr Ellison said the selection of Ms Weiss as editor-in-chief was part of a bigger effort to modernize coverage at Paramount and make CBS the "most-trusted name in news".

"We are convinced the bulk of the country wants news that is balanced and truthful, and we want CBS to be their destination," he said.

Additional Shifts at CBS

Details of the deal were not revealed. Paramount would not address accounts that the company had paid $150 million in stock and cash.

Mr Ellison established his reputation as a Hollywood film producer of hit movies such as Top Gun Maverick, True Grit and World War Z.

He has said his aim is to produce journalism that is more balanced politically, and therefore has the ability to engage all audiences.

His takeover of Paramount was authorized by regulators this season, after the company consented to pay $16 million to resolve a lawsuit.

To secure clearance of the transaction, Mr Ellison pledged to create an impartial arbitrator at CBS to assess allegations of bias and vowed to authorities that content would reflect a range of perspectives.

He additionally said CBS's long-running political show "Face the Nation" would cease to air edited interviews.

Collaboration Information

CBS News has a partnership agreement with another major network, meaning news reporting including recorded segments can be exchanged.

In a statement revealing the agreement, Ms Weiss said she trusted in the Paramount boss and his leadership team.

"They are committing fully because they support news. Because they have bravery. Because they value this country. And because they understand, as we do, that America cannot thrive without shared information, universal realities, and a common reality," she wrote.