Bari Weiss, the outspoken journalist and founder of The Free Press, is on the verge of taking one of the most powerful seats in American broadcast news. According to reports from The New York Times, Newsmax, and The New York Post, Weiss is in advanced talks with David Ellison, the new owner of CBS News, to become either editor in chief or co-president of the network. This potential move comes as Ellison’s Skydance-Paramount conglomerate negotiates the acquisition of The Free Press, Weiss’s digital media startup, in a deal that could soar past $150 million.
The story unfolding at CBS News is more than just a high-profile hiring; it’s a dramatic inflection point for a network long associated with the staid traditions of broadcast journalism. David Ellison, who took control of CBS News last month after the $8 billion Paramount-Skydance merger, appears determined to shake up the editorial culture of the network. The possible appointment of Weiss, a figure known for her relentless energy and willingness to challenge orthodoxies, signals a clear intent to push CBS News in a new direction.
Ellison’s interest in Weiss reportedly began about a year ago, when he first approached her for a correspondent role on CBS’s iconic 60 Minutes. But as the merger progressed and his ambitions for the network grew, so did the scope of the role he envisioned for Weiss. Now, sources tell The New York Post that Ellison is weighing her for one of the very top editorial positions at CBS News. The talks are ongoing, with final terms still being hammered out, but insiders expect a deal could be finalized within weeks.
The potential deal is multifaceted. Not only would Weiss take a major leadership role at CBS News, but Skydance-Paramount would also acquire The Free Press, the independent outlet she founded with her wife, Nellie Bowles, and her sister, Suzy Weiss, in 2021 after her much-publicized resignation from The New York Times. The Free Press, which began as a newsletter and has grown to about 1.5 million free and paid subscribers, is valued at over $100 million, with the acquisition price possibly exceeding $150 million depending on Weiss’s tenure at Paramount. Some reports, including Newsmax, have suggested the figure could reach as high as $200 million.
For CBS News, the arrival of Weiss would be nothing short of seismic. Staffers at the network reportedly fear that bringing her on board would be like “dropping a grenade” in the newsroom, as one veteran told The New York Post. The culture at CBS News—especially at legacy programs like 60 Minutes—is described as “dug in” and resistant to change. Weiss, 41, is lauded for her “limitless energy” and “laser focus,” but some colleagues have found her style “controlling” or “difficult.” Still, Ellison appears undeterred, viewing Weiss as a necessary force to bring more conservative and independent voices to a network often criticized for its liberal leanings.
Indeed, the backdrop for these changes is a media landscape under increasing political and regulatory scrutiny. In July, as Skydance awaited regulatory approval for its Paramount merger, the company agreed to pay President Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump had alleged the segment was deceptively edited to benefit Harris’s campaign. While many legal experts dismissed the suit as baseless, the settlement was widely seen as an extraordinary concession by a major media company to a sitting president. Ellison has been careful to stress that Skydance “complied with all laws, including the antibribery law,” and has repeatedly stated, “We are not going to politicize anything today. We want to entertain first.”
The scrutiny hasn’t let up. Just last week, Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr called for change at CBS News after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused the network’s Sunday show, Face the Nation, of deceptively editing her interview. In response, CBS News announced that “Face the Nation” would now air only live or completely unedited prerecorded interviews—a significant shift for one of the most-watched political programs in the country.
Against this charged backdrop, Ellison is also bringing in Kenneth R. Weinstein, former president of the conservative Hudson Institute, as CBS News’s ombudsman. Announced on September 8, 2025, Weinstein’s role will be to review complaints about the network’s coverage, serving as what Ellison called an “independent, internal advocate for journalistic integrity and transparency.” Weinstein’s appointment is seen as part of Ellison’s broader strategy to rebuild trust in CBS News and address longstanding accusations of ideological bias.
For her part, Bari Weiss has built a reputation as a fierce critic of antisemitism and what she calls the “woke” elite in mainstream media. Her open letter resigning from The New York Times in 2020 accused the paper of “ideological conformity” and described an “illiberal environment” in which dissenting voices were harassed. At The Free Press, she has positioned the outlet as a home for unflinching reporting and commentary, often critical of traditional media. In her columns, Weiss has opposed diversity and inclusion programs, reported on Israel’s “war of defense” in Gaza, and disclosed voting for Joe Biden in 2020—positions that have sparked both praise and controversy.
It’s not yet clear whether Weiss will take on an on-air journalistic role at CBS News in addition to her editorial leadership. There is also speculation, reported by Semafor, that she might bring in her former New York Times boss James Bennet for a senior position, though no formal talks have taken place. What is clear is that her arrival would mark a dramatic shift for CBS News, both in tone and in substance.
The transition is not without its risks. CBS News staff are reportedly “apoplectic” about the prospect of Weiss joining the network, fearing that her views and management style could upend the established order. Some insiders suggest that Ellison is hoping for “a lot of attrition” among staffers resistant to the new direction. Others point to the recent controversy surrounding CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil, who was publicly rebuked in October 2023 for a contentious interview about Israel and apartheid, as evidence of the network’s fraught internal politics.
David Ellison, for his part, has remained steadfast in his vision for CBS News. “We believe in basically being in the trust business,” he said at an August press briefing. “We believe in being in the truth business.” His moves—acquiring The Free Press, bringing in Bari Weiss, and appointing a conservative ombudsman—suggest a deliberate effort to remake CBS News as a more ideologically diverse and transparent institution.
As the negotiations enter their final stages, all eyes in the media world are on CBS News. If the deal goes through, the network could soon look—and sound—very different. For better or worse, the era of quiet consensus at CBS News may be coming to an end.
