Ex- NYT Writer Appointed to Head CBS Post Paramount Deal
The media conglomerate has appointed ex- NYT commentator Bari Weiss to direct CBS News, signaling the most recent move by recent acquirers to restructure workings of one of America's leading news outlets.
The company is additionally buying The Free Press, the online publication Weiss started after her contentious departure from the New York Times, in a arrangement reported to be worth $150 million.
Ms Weiss, who has questioned broadcast media for becoming overly political, said she was excited to influence CBS, which was acquired by David Ellison in recent months as part of a larger merger with Paramount.
Background of the Executive
Ms Weiss, who commenced her work at Jewish media organizations, is recognized for her support of Israel and her criticism of "call-out culture".
Since its start as a email publication in 2021, The Free Press has accumulated 1.5 million subscribers, including over 170,000 paid subscribers.
It has drawn attention for articles such as a feature questioning of NPR by one of its former business editors, as well as an examination of some images used by traditional journalism to depict famine in Gaza.
Prominent contributors include scholar Niall Ferguson and economist Tyler Cowen.
Strategic Plans
Mr Ellison said the hiring of Ms Weiss as top editorial position was part of a broader effort to refresh programming at Paramount and make CBS the "most credible name in news".
"We believe the majority of the country desires news that is even-handed and accurate, and we want CBS to be their home," he said.
More Change at CBS
Specifics of the agreement were not revealed. Paramount would not address accounts that the corporation had paid $150 million in stock and cash.
Mr Ellison built his career as a Hollywood cinematic creator of major films such as Top Gun Maverick, True Grit and World War Z.
He has said his aim is to produce coverage that is less politically skewed, and therefore has the potential to engage all audiences.
His acquisition of Paramount was approved by oversight bodies this summer, after the company consented to pay $16 million to settle a court case.
To secure clearance of the acquisition, Mr Ellison agreed to install an external reviewer at CBS to assess concerns of partiality and vowed to regulators that content would showcase a variety of perspectives.
He also said CBS's veteran political show "Face the Nation" would no longer air altered conversations.
Collaboration Information
CBS News has a working relationship with another major network, meaning news content including recorded segments can be exchanged.
In a message declaring the deal, Ms Weiss said she trusted in the Paramount executive and his leadership team.
"They are making significant investments 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 shared information, common truths, and a unified worldview," she wrote.
