In a move that’s set to shake up the American media landscape, Paramount Skydance is poised to appoint Bari Weiss, the outspoken founder of The Free Press and former New York Times opinion writer, as editor-in-chief of CBS News. The announcement, expected as early as Monday, October 6, 2025, marks a dramatic restructuring of CBS News’ leadership and signals a new editorial direction for the storied network, according to sources cited by The New York Post and Fox News.
Weiss, 41, will report directly to Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, bypassing CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, who will remain focused on production. This unusual management structure means Weiss will have an uncommonly direct line to the top, granting her significant influence over the network’s editorial coverage. As The New York Post put it, "Weiss’s direct line to Ellison means she will not report to CBS News president Tom Cibrowski, who currently reports to George Cheeks, chair of TV media at Paramount Skydance."
The deal comes alongside Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of The Free Press, Weiss’s independent news platform, for $150 million. While The Free Press will remain a standalone property under Paramount for now, speculation abounds about potential future integration with CBS News’ digital offerings—a prospect that could further amplify Weiss’s voice in mainstream media.
This shakeup has been brewing for nearly a year. Ellison, Paramount Skydance’s new owner, has long coveted Weiss and her media company, with negotiations reportedly reaching an agreement in principle last month. Sources told Fox News that Ellison’s aim is to bring more conservative voices to CBS News as part of a broader post-merger reset. Weiss was initially approached about taking a senior role at "60 Minutes," but the offer expanded as Ellison sought to make major changes at the organization.
Weiss’s appointment is already causing ripples inside CBS News. Some veteran staffers at programs like "60 Minutes"—which recently promoted Tanya Simon to executive producer—have expressed concern about the new leadership. One former CBS News veteran told The New York Post last month, "It would be like dropping a grenade in the newsroom." Another source added, "They are used to doing things their way."
Yet, not everyone at CBS News is apprehensive. As Fox News reported, one staffer said, "Maybe more free thought, free expression is on the way. Nothing to fear here." The network’s culture, already under scrutiny for alleged left-leaning bias, is bracing for what could be a period of significant editorial change.
Weiss’s own journey has been anything but conventional. After leaving The New York Times in 2020, citing bullying from far-left colleagues, she launched The Free Press, a platform known for its contrarian stance and reporting that challenges diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, gender ideology, and media narratives on Israel, especially during the ongoing war with Hamas. Her outspokenness has made her a lightning rod for criticism from the cultural left, with some commentators describing her as "one of the most polarizing figures in media"—a charge that Weiss herself has not shied away from addressing.
Left-leaning critics have voiced concern that Weiss’s appointment could erode media trust and represent what some call a "right-wing grift." Meanwhile, others see her arrival as a potential catalyst for greater viewpoint diversity and editorial independence at CBS News. As Fox News noted, Weiss has been ostracized by some on the left for her reporting, but has also become a leading voice against antisemitism and "woke" elites in mainstream media.
The context surrounding this leadership overhaul is complex. Paramount Skydance, with a market capitalization of $20.41 billion, is a major player in the media industry, operating across TV, film, and direct-to-consumer segments. Yet, its financial health is mixed: the company reported revenue of $28.76 billion with a three-year growth rate of 0.3%, an operating margin of 8.38%, and a net margin of -0.05%, indicating ongoing profitability challenges. The Altman Z-Score of 1.52 places the company in the distress zone, signaling potential financial instability, according to GuruFocus.
Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of The Free Press—a deal valued at $150 million in a mix of stock and cash, with earn-out provisions—reflects both strategic ambition and a willingness to take risks in a volatile media market. Analyst recommendations currently average at 3.4, suggesting a "hold" position on the stock, while institutional ownership stands at 47.02%.
Weiss’s arrival comes at a time when CBS News has faced repeated accusations of bias, particularly regarding its coverage of Israel and the Middle East. In 2023 and 2024, the network was embroiled in controversies over a "60 Minutes" segment featuring State Department officials who resigned over U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. The American Jewish Committee blasted the segment as "shockingly one-sided, lacked factual accuracy, and relied heavily on misguided information." Additionally, the network was criticized after co-host Tony Dokoupil’s tense on-air exchange with author Ta-Nehisi Coates about Israel, which led to internal disputes and management rebukes.
These controversies have not gone unnoticed by regulators. As part of the Federal Communications Commission’s conditions for approving the Paramount-Skydance merger, the company named Kenneth R. Weinstein as CBS News ombudsman to address bias complaints. In a related development, Paramount settled a $16 million lawsuit with former President Donald Trump over alleged biased editing of a "60 Minutes" interview with then-Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, just weeks before the merger received regulatory approval. Trump has claimed the settlement included an additional $20 million in pro-MAGA advertising, though the network denied any wrongdoing.
Insiders say Weiss’s hiring casts doubt on speculation about the possible return of former CBS President David Rhodes, with one source describing the situation as an “either/or” between the two candidates. As CBS News enters this new era, questions linger about how Weiss and Cibrowski will collaborate, and whether The Free Press will eventually be integrated into CBS News’ digital platforms.
For now, The Free Press will remain a separate entity under Paramount Skydance, with no formal affiliation with CBS News beyond shared ownership. But with Weiss at the editorial helm, the network seems poised for a period of transformation—one that could redefine its role in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
As the dust settles, all eyes are on CBS News and Paramount Skydance. Will this bold experiment usher in a new era of editorial independence and viewpoint diversity, or will it deepen existing divides? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: the media world will be watching closely.
