Former New York Times Journalist Appointed to Head CBS Post Paramount Merger
The media conglomerate has selected ex- New York Times commentator Bari Weiss to oversee CBS News, signaling the newest move by new owners to restructure activities of a prominent American news outlets.
The company is furthermore acquiring The Free Press, the online publication Weiss started after her contentious separation from the New York Times, in a agreement said to be worth $150 million.
Ms Weiss, who has challenged television news for becoming overly political, said she was excited to put her stamp on CBS, which was acquired by David Ellison recently as part of a wider merger with Paramount.
History of the Appointee
Ms Weiss, who commenced her work at Jewish news outlets, is noted for her advocacy of Israel and her skepticism of "cancel culture".
From its inception as a email publication in 2021, The Free Press has accumulated 1.5 million followers, including in excess of 170,000 paying members.
It has garnered notice for articles such as a feature questioning of NPR by one of its former business editors, as well as an examination of some photos used by mainstream news outlets to showcase famine in Gaza.
Notable writers include scholar Niall Ferguson and economist Tyler Cowen.
Strategic Plans
Mr Ellison said the selection of Ms Weiss as chief editor was part of a bigger effort to modernize programming at Paramount and make CBS the "most-trusted name in news".
"We believe the bulk of the country wants news that is balanced and fact-based, and we want CBS to be their destination," he said.
Further Developments at CBS
Specifics of the agreement were not made public. Paramount would not address accounts that the company had paid $150 million in shares and money.
Mr Ellison built his career 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 reporting that is less partisan, and therefore has the potential to engage all viewers.
His takeover of Paramount was authorized by government authorities this recent period, after the company agreed to pay $16 million to conclude a court case.
To obtain consent of the deal, Mr Ellison agreed to create an independent ombudsman at CBS to examine concerns of bias and vowed to oversight bodies that content would reflect a range of view points.
He also said CBS's veteran political show "Face the Nation" would no longer air edited interviews.
Alliance Facts
CBS News has a collaborative arrangement with another major network, meaning news reporting including recorded segments can be exchanged.
In a statement revealing the agreement, Ms Weiss said she had faith in the Paramount boss and his management group.
"They are making significant investments because they support news. Because they have bravery. Because they love this country. And because they appreciate, as we do, that America cannot succeed without mutual understanding, universal realities, and a shared perspective," she stated.
