CBS News staffers have been handed new marching orders after the network’s parent company, Paramount, announced a major shakeup.
Bari Weiss, founder of independent outlet The Free Press, is now the editor-in-chief of CBS News.
The move came after Weiss’s The Free Press was acquired by Paramount for $150 million.
Weiss told staff in her first memo on Monday that her mission is to restore credibility by holding both Democrats and Republicans to equal scrutiny.
“The opportunity to build on that legacy with you — and to renew it in an era that so desperately needs it — is an extraordinary privilege,” Weiss wrote.
“My goal in the coming days and weeks is to get to know you.
“I want to hear from you about what’s working, what isn’t, and your thoughts on how we can make CBS News the most trusted news organization in America and the world.
“I’ll approach it the way any reporter would — with an open mind, a fresh notebook, and an urgent deadline.”
Weiss included a list of 10 “core journalistic values,” with a central promise to hold both American political parties to equal scrutiny.
Background
Weiss resigned from The New York Times in 2020.
She alleges she was pushed out for challenging the paper’s liberal orthodoxy.
She went on to launch the Common Sense newsletter, later expanding it into The Free Press in 2022.
Her brand has been built on rejecting legacy media’s “groupthink” and appealing to audiences seeking independent reporting.
The arrival of Weiss at CBS comes under new corporate leadership.
Paramount CEO David Ellison, who took over in August after the company’s merger with Skydance Media, echoed Weiss’s call to move CBS News away from partisanship.
In a memo to employees, Ellison wrote:
“If we are to move forward, we must find our way back to the ideals that shaped both our country and civilization itself: open exchange of ideas, vigorous yet respectful debate, and a genuine regard for the beliefs and traditions of others.”
A New Direction
Ellison warned that the media too often serves as a platform for division.
“When we reduce every issue to ‘us vs. them’ or ‘my way vs. the wrong way,’ we close ourselves off from listening, learning, and ultimately growing,” he wrote.
“That is our purpose — to ensure that this global platform remains a place where people can seek the truth, gain understanding, and engage with the facts.”
The pairing of Weiss and Ellison signals a push to reset CBS News, which has long faced criticism for partisan coverage.
“Everyone is waiting to see how things will fall. Nobody knows,” one CBS staffer admitted to Fox News.
Weiss’s tenure is expected to test whether a legacy broadcast network can regain trust in an era of collapsing ratings and growing skepticism of mainstream journalism.
READ MORE – Disabled Man Issues Plea for Help as Canadian Doctors Push to Euthanize Him
Our comment section is restricted to members of the Slay News community only.
To join, create a free account HERE.
If you are already a member, log in HERE.