Five years ago, Bari Weiss walked away from The New York Times in a blaze of controversy, citing a newsroom culture she described as hostile to ideological diversity and dominated by the progressive currents of social media. Now, in a twist few could have predicted, Weiss has been named editor-in-chief of CBS News, one of America’s most storied broadcast institutions, following the $150 million acquisition of her digital media venture, The Free Press, by Paramount Skydance. The move, announced on October 7, 2025, marks a dramatic ascent for Weiss—from a mid-level editor battered by what she called “constant bullying” at the Times, to the helm of a major television news network.
According to Reuters and The Poynter Report, the appointment is seen as a bold bet by Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, who took over CBS and other Paramount properties earlier in 2025 after an $8.4 billion merger. Ellison’s vision for CBS News is one of “constructive, respectful, and bipartisan dialogue,” with a commitment to “a diversity of viewpoints from across the political and ideological spectrum.” In his letter to employees, Ellison wrote that Weiss “brings a passion for reaching broad audiences through rigorous, fact-based reporting and a relentless commitment to amplifying voices from all corners of the spectrum.”
For Weiss, the journey from disgruntled op-ed editor to media executive has been anything but conventional. After her 2020 resignation from The New York Times—an event that made headlines across the industry—she founded The Free Press in 2021 alongside her wife, journalist Nellie Bowles, and her sister, Suzy Weiss. The venture quickly gained traction, boasting 170,000 paying subscribers, more than 1.5 million readers, and $15 million in annual subscription revenue, according to The New York Times.
Weiss’s relationship with legacy media has always been complex. In her resignation letter from the Times, she lamented that “Twitter is not on the masthead of The New York Times. But Twitter has become its ultimate editor,” referencing the sway of progressive activists and the internal staff revolt over Senator Tom Cotton’s controversial op-ed in June 2020. According to Reason Magazine, this episode was a breaking point for Weiss, who felt her efforts to bring ideological diversity to the opinion pages were met with hostility and even bullying from colleagues.
After departing the Times, Weiss built The Free Press on what she called a credo of “honesty, doggedness, and fierce independence.” The publication has prided itself on “no-fear-or-favor journalism,” aiming to provide the “quality once expected from the legacy press, but the fearlessness of the new,” as MSNBC’s Matt Johnson described it. The Free Press has become a lightning rod for debates about media bias, often critiquing what Weiss and her writers see as the excesses of the “woke left” and the failures of traditional institutions to engage a broad spectrum of views.
Yet, as The Poynter Report notes, the acquisition of The Free Press by Paramount Skydance—and Weiss’s new role at CBS News—comes with its own set of questions. Is this an attempt to “blow up” CBS News’s editorial culture, or simply to modernize it? And how much influence will Weiss wield over flagship programs like “60 Minutes,” “CBS Evening News,” and “Face the Nation”? CBS News veterans, speaking anonymously to reporters, have reportedly urged Weiss not to interfere with long-standing shows, but Ellison has made it clear that Weiss will “shape editorial priorities, champion core values across platforms and lead innovation in how the organization reports and delivers the news.”
On her first day as editor-in-chief, Weiss sent a ten-point memo to CBS News staff outlining her core journalistic values. The memo, which Axios described as a “veiled critique” of the newsroom she inherits, calls for journalism that “reports on the world as it actually is,” is “fair, fearless and factual,” and “respects our audience enough to tell the truth plainly—wherever it leads.” Other points include a commitment to “equal scrutiny” of both American political parties, embracing a wide spectrum of views, and using all the tools of the digital era. Notably, Weiss’s memo focuses on serving America and building trust, rather than traditional journalistic ethics or press freedom, a contrast to the principles espoused by networks like MSNBC.
Weiss’s own politics defy easy categorization. She has described herself as a centrist, a “Jewish lesbian from Pittsburgh,” and someone who was “the most right-wing person at the Times and the most politically progressive at the Journal” during her stints at The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She has criticized diversity initiatives, defended gay marriage, supported reproductive rights, and is a vocal supporter of Israel. Her critics, however, argue that The Free Press flatters right-of-center readers and avoids uncomfortable realities about the current political climate, particularly regarding the Trump administration.
In her introductory letter to CBS News staff, Weiss struck a personal note, recalling childhood memories of watching CBS in her family’s den in Pittsburgh. “The opportunity to build on that legacy with you—and to renew it in an era that so desperately needs it—is an extraordinary privilege,” she wrote, promising to listen to staff with “an open mind, a fresh notebook and an urgent deadline.” Her stated goal: to make CBS News “the most trusted news organization in America and the world.”
The reaction within CBS News has been mixed, with some employees expressing apprehension or outright skepticism. As The Guardian reported, one staffer quipped, “A throwing up emoji is not enough of a reflection of the feelings in here.” Others, including Ellison, have expressed confidence that Weiss’s leadership will help revitalize CBS News and position it for a new era.
Industry observers are watching closely. As The Los Angeles Times put it, Weiss’s appointment is “the most closely watched lab experiment in the modern media era.” Her rise, described by The New York Times as “ascending the mountain of journalism on a slingshot,” is emblematic of the shifting power dynamics in media, where independent voices and new platforms are increasingly challenging the authority of legacy outlets.
Whether Weiss will shake up CBS News or simply steer it toward a broader, more ideologically diverse audience remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: her appointment marks a pivotal moment for American journalism, one that will test the resilience of old institutions and the appeal of new ideas in equal measure.
