Former NYT Writer to Lead CBS Post Paramount Merger
Paramount has selected former New York Times commentator Bari Weiss to lead CBS News, signaling the latest step by recent acquirers to restructure activities of a major US news organisations.
Paramount is additionally acquiring The Free Press, the web-based platform Weiss started after her contentious exit from the New York Times, in a agreement reported 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 acquired by David Ellison earlier this year as part of a larger merger with Paramount.
History of the New Leader
Ms Weiss, who started her career at Jewish news outlets, is noted for her backing of Israel and her questioning of "cancel culture".
Since its start as a digital bulletin in 2021, The Free Press has gained 1.5 million readers, including more than 170,000 subscribing supporters.
It has garnered notice for coverage such as a article critical of NPR by one of its former business editors, as well as an investigation of some images used by traditional journalism to showcase famine in Gaza.
Big name writers include historian Niall Ferguson and economic thinker Tyler Cowen.
Strategic Plans
Mr Ellison said the selection of Ms Weiss as chief editor was part of a larger campaign to update programming at Paramount and make CBS the "most-trusted name in news".
"We are convinced the greater part of the country desires news that is fair and truthful, and we want CBS to be their home," he said.
Additional Shifts at CBS
Terms of the arrangement were not made public. Paramount declined to comment stories that the company had paid $150 million in equity and currency.
Mr Ellison made his name as a Hollywood movie maker of major films such as Top Gun Maverick, True Grit and World War Z.
He has said his aim is to produce reporting that is less politically skewed, and therefore has the capacity to connect with all viewers.
His purchase of Paramount was approved by oversight bodies this season, after the company consented to pay $16 million to conclude a court case.
To obtain consent of the transaction, Mr Ellison committed to install an independent ombudsman at CBS to review complaints of bias and promised to regulators that coverage would reflect a range of opinions.
He also said CBS's veteran political show "Face the Nation" would discontinue air altered conversations.
Alliance Facts
CBS News has a partnership agreement with a global news organization, meaning news reporting including recorded segments can be exchanged.
In a statement announcing the deal, Ms Weiss said she had faith in the Paramount executive and his leadership team.
"They are making significant investments because they have faith in news. Because they have conviction. Because they value this country. And because they appreciate, as we do, that America cannot thrive without mutual understanding, universal realities, and a common reality," she commented.
