Ex- NYT Writer Appointed to Head CBS Post Paramount Deal
The media conglomerate has appointed ex- NYT commentator Bari Weiss to oversee CBS News, signaling the newest step by new owners to reshape operations of a major US news networks.
The company is additionally purchasing The Free Press, the online publication Weiss established after her acrimonious departure from the New York Times, in a deal said to be worth $150 million.
Ms Weiss, who has questioned broadcast media for becoming too partisan, said she was enthusiastic to shape CBS, which was purchased by David Ellison in recent months as part of a broader merger with Paramount.
Profile of the Appointee
Ms Weiss, who started her career at Jewish media organizations, is noted for her backing of Israel and her questioning of "woke culture".
Beginning as a email publication in 2021, The Free Press has gained 1.5 million subscribers, including over 170,000 paid subscribers.
It has received recognition for reports such as a feature critical of NPR by one of its ex- business editors, as well as an examination of some images used by mainstream news outlets to illustrate famine in Gaza.
Big name authors include scholar Niall Ferguson and economic thinker Tyler Cowen.
Vision for CBS
Mr Ellison said the selection of Ms Weiss as editor-in-chief was part of a larger campaign to refresh programming at Paramount and make CBS the "most-trusted name in news".
"We think the greater part of the country longs for news that is balanced and fact-based, and we want CBS to be their home," he said.
Further Developments at CBS
Terms of the arrangement were not revealed. Paramount would not address accounts that the firm had paid $150 million in equity and currency.
Mr Ellison made his name as a Hollywood film producer of hit movies such as Top Gun Maverick, True Grit and World War Z.
He has said his objective is to produce coverage that is less politically skewed, and therefore has the ability to connect with all demographics.
His purchase of Paramount was authorized by government authorities this recent period, after the company agreed to pay $16 million to settle a court case.
To secure clearance of the acquisition, Mr Ellison pledged to establish an external reviewer at CBS to assess concerns of bias and committed to authorities that content would include a variety of perspectives.
He further said CBS's veteran political show "Face the Nation" would cease to air altered conversations.
Alliance Facts
CBS News has a working relationship with another major network, meaning news content including recorded segments can be exchanged.
In a statement announcing the agreement, Ms Weiss said she had faith in the Paramount executive and his executive staff.
"They are committing fully because they support news. Because they have conviction. Because they love this country. And because they understand, as we do, that America cannot thrive without common facts, universal realities, and a unified worldview," she wrote.
