Ex- NYT Journalist Appointed to Head CBS Following Paramount Deal
The media conglomerate has selected former New York Times commentator Bari Weiss to oversee CBS News, representing the latest step by new owners to reshape activities of a major US news outlets.
The company is furthermore acquiring The Free Press, the web-based platform Weiss founded after her acrimonious separation from the New York Times, in a agreement estimated to be worth $150 million.
Ms Weiss, who has criticised television news for becoming overly political, said she was excited to shape CBS, which was purchased by David Ellison earlier this year as part of a broader merger with Paramount.
Profile of the Appointee
Ms Weiss, who started her career at Jewish news outlets, is known for her backing of Israel and her questioning of "call-out culture".
From its inception as a email publication in 2021, The Free Press has gained 1.5 million followers, including more than 170,000 paid subscribers.
It has drawn attention for reports such as a article questioning of NPR by one of its former business editors, as well as an examination of some photographs used by traditional journalism to depict famine in Gaza.
Big name contributors include scholar Niall Ferguson and financial expert Tyler Cowen.
Vision for CBS
Mr Ellison said the hiring of Ms Weiss as editor-in-chief was part of a bigger campaign to refresh programming at Paramount and make CBS the "most credible name in news".
"We are convinced the majority of the country desires news that is fair and fact-based, and we want CBS to be their destination," he said.
More Change at CBS
Specifics of the deal were not revealed. Paramount would not address reports that the company had paid $150 million in shares and money.
Mr Ellison established his reputation as a Hollywood film producer of major films such as Top Gun Maverick, True Grit and World War Z.
He has said his objective is to produce journalism that is less politically skewed, and therefore has the capacity to connect with all viewers.
His acquisition of Paramount was authorized by government authorities this season, after the company agreed to pay $16 million to conclude a lawsuit.
To win approval of the acquisition, Mr Ellison pledged to install an external reviewer at CBS to examine allegations of bias and promised to oversight bodies that content would reflect a variety of view points.
He further said CBS's established political show "Face the Nation" would cease to air edited interviews.
Alliance Facts
CBS News has a partnership agreement with another major network, meaning news reporting including visual material can be distributed.
In a note announcing the arrangement, Ms Weiss said she believed in the Paramount executive and his management group.
"They are doubling down because they have faith in news. Because they have courage. Because they value this country. And because they recognize, as we do, that America cannot succeed without mutual understanding, agreed principles, and a shared perspective," she stated.