On October 6, 2025, the American media landscape was jolted by the announcement that Bari Weiss, a journalist renowned for her outspoken critiques of progressive orthodoxy and her self-described classic liberalism, would take the helm as editor-in-chief of CBS News. The appointment, which came on the heels of Paramount’s $150 million acquisition of Weiss’s media venture The Free Press, instantly ignited a firestorm of debate and anxiety within journalistic circles and beyond.
Weiss’s rise to this influential post is as remarkable as it is contentious. After departing The New York Times in 2020—citing what she called an "illiberal environment" and alleging bullying over her ardently pro-Israel columns—Weiss set out to build her own platform. In 2022, she launched The Free Press, billing it as a haven from what she saw as leftist groupthink in mainstream media. The site quickly drew both prominent financial backers and a reputation for challenging diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, gender-affirming care, and prevailing media narratives about Israel’s war with Hamas, according to LGBTQ Nation and Fox News Digital.
Paramount CEO David Ellison, who orchestrated the acquisition and Weiss’s appointment, praised her "entrepreneurial drive and editorial vision" and said, "This is an important initiative for our company, and Bari will report directly to me—leading the work of The Free Press and collaborating with our CBS News team in the pursuit of making it the most trusted name in news." Ellison’s stated goal is to make CBS News a home for "balanced and fact-based" reporting, a sentiment he believes aligns with the desires of a majority of Americans. But the move has been met with skepticism and alarm from many corners, especially from those who see it as part of a broader rightward drift in American media.
Reactions from within CBS News were swift and uneasy. According to The Independent, some staffers described the mood as "depressing and doomsday," with one CBS reporter remarking, "There are so many people who’ve come in here and been chewed up and spit out that the idea that somebody that we don’t want is going to come in here and somehow manage to survive this is, I think, laughable. So she’s in for, I would venture to guess, a rough ride." The sense of foreboding was echoed by media commentators, with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes likening Weiss to Vice President JD Vance, suggesting both figures share a knack for polarizing commentary. New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie went further, calling Weiss’s promotion "a Hall of Fame grift" and adding, "Five years ago Bari Weiss was trying, unsuccessfully, to get herself fired. Now she’s running CBS News. That’s some Michael Jordan s---."
Other critics, including Slate Magazine and left-leaning blog Defector, warned that Weiss’s leadership could tilt CBS News toward more sympathetic coverage of Israel, increased antagonism toward progressive causes, and a penchant for "Crossfire-style debates" on divisive topics like gender-affirming care. According to Slate’s Nitish Pahwa, "Weiss has built a career railing against ‘wokeness,’ and her critics fear this could mean a CBS News more sympathetic to her causes: more unconditional support of Israel, more antagonism wielded at ‘the left,’ and more Crossfire-style 'debates' over common bugbears like Zohran Mamdani and gender-affirming care."
Weiss’s critics also point to her stewardship of The Free Press as evidence of her ideological bent. Under her leadership, the publication published a viral 2023 essay by Jamie Reed, a former case worker at the St. Louis Pediatric Transgender Center, which accused the clinic of rushing young people into gender-affirming care. The essay, which was widely circulated among right-wing outlets, was criticized for lacking substantiation and for failing to include perspectives from the clinic’s staff, patients, or records. Trans journalist Erin Reed highlighted numerous instances of anti-trans bias in the piece, as reported by LGBTQ Nation. The Free Press has also published content critical of DEI programs, expressed skepticism about vaccines, and supported Trump administration efforts to defund and discredit institutions like Columbia University and NPR for alleged antisemitism and liberal bias.
Weiss’s appointment comes amid broader upheaval at CBS and in the media industry at large. CBS has recently weathered controversies surrounding "60 Minutes" and the abrupt cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" after Colbert criticized a $16 million settlement Paramount paid to Donald Trump over a disputed interview edit. The new parent company, Paramount Skydance Corp.—formed through an $8.4 billion merger orchestrated by David Ellison—has pledged to overhaul CBS News, including eliminating diversity hiring policies and installing a conservative ombudsman, Kenneth Weinstein, a former Trump appointee, to review complaints of bias. Ellison is reportedly preparing to cut up to 10% of CBS News staff, signaling a dramatic shift in the network’s direction.
Weiss herself is no stranger to controversy beyond her reporting. She played a role in launching the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR), a nonprofit that, despite its name, has been criticized for its anti-woke and anti-trans affiliations. The group’s initial board included figures known for opposing LGBTQ+ rights, and its webinars have featured speakers who equate trans people with negative stereotypes, as reported by The New Yorker. Weiss eventually distanced herself from FAIR, stating in June 2021 that she found the organization "not straightforward" and "not muscular enough," particularly on issues like trans women in sports.
The implications of Weiss’s appointment extend beyond CBS News. According to MarketWatch, David Ellison and Paramount Skydance Corp. have expressed interest in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, including CNN, and possibly even TikTok, hinting at ambitions to reshape the broader media landscape. Many media observers view Weiss’s elevation as a bellwether for a rightward shift not just at CBS, but across American newsrooms.
Financial questions have also surfaced about the $150 million price tag for The Free Press, especially given that only a fraction of its 1.5 million subscribers are paid, generating annual revenue far below the acquisition price. Nevertheless, Ellison appears undeterred, framing the move as a bold bet on "entrepreneurial drive" and "editorial vision."
For supporters of Weiss, her appointment represents a long-overdue correction to what they see as a stifling monoculture in mainstream newsrooms. For critics, it’s a harbinger of increased polarization and a potential erosion of CBS News’s storied reputation for impartiality. As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the battle for the soul of American journalism is far from over, and Bari Weiss now finds herself at its very center.
