When Bari Weiss, a journalist known for her outspoken views and recent venture into digital media, stepped into the role of editor in chief at CBS News earlier this month, few could have predicted the immediate ripple effect her first official memo would have on the network. Sent on October 10, 2025, just days after her appointment, Weiss’s email asked every CBS News staffer to explain their work duties and share what they were most proud of. It was a move that, while not entirely unprecedented for new leadership, landed with a thud in a newsroom already rattled by fears of layoffs and uncertainty about its future.
According to The New York Post, the memo’s intent seemed straightforward enough: Weiss wanted to “understand how you spend your working hours — and ideally, what you’ve made (or are making) that you are most proud of.” But the timing and tone of the request, coupled with the network’s ongoing struggles—CBS News remains stuck in third place behind NBC and ABC—sparked immediate anxiety among employees. Many wondered if the request was a prelude to job cuts or other major shake-ups, especially as the network searches for new anchors for its flagship evening news program.
As reported by Variety, the reaction from within the newsroom was swift and divided. Some producers at Paramount Skydance, CBS’s parent company, encouraged staff to comply with Weiss’s request, while the Writers Guild of America East (WGA East)—which represents many CBS News employees—advised caution. The union urged its members to hold off on responding until management answered a list of union questions about the purpose and consequences of the memo.
The unions’ involvement quickly became central to the unfolding drama. The Writers Guild of America East, along with SAG-AFTRA and IBEW, all communicated to their members that responding to the memo was optional. In a message obtained by Business Insider, the WGA East relayed that CBS “informed us that you will not be disciplined if you do not respond to the email, indicating that a response is optional.” The union further assured employees that any replies “will not be used against workers as a basis for discipline, discharge or layoff.” SAG-AFTRA echoed this sentiment, sharing a message from CBS Labor Relations describing the memo as “an outreach from a new leader who would like to get to know the organization and the employees, and use it as a discussion guide as she meets with employees in the coming weeks and months as time permits.”
For many, these assurances came as a relief. The union’s message, as reviewed by The Wrap, stated unequivocally that staffers would not be punished for ignoring the memo. “If they do choose to respond, their feedback will not be the basis for a potential layoff,” the WGA East said. The company also clarified that only Bari Weiss and her chief of staff would see the responses, although there could be an obligation to share them with other senior executives if necessary. Importantly, CBS stated that artificial intelligence would not be used to review responses, addressing another union concern about privacy and fairness.
The backdrop to this episode is a network—and a parent company—in flux. David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance, announced Weiss’s appointment on October 6, 2025, at the same time revealing the $150 million acquisition of her contrarian news site, The Free Press. The move was widely seen as a bid to shake up CBS News, which has struggled to regain its former luster in a fiercely competitive news landscape. Ellison and other Paramount executives have made no secret of their intention to cut costs, with plans to slash at least $2 billion from the company’s budget as part of a broader merger strategy. Details about potential layoffs are expected to be revealed in the company’s next earnings report, leaving employees on edge.
Weiss, for her part, has made it clear that she intends to bring a new perspective to CBS News. Known for her criticism of mainstream media and her willingness to tackle hot-button issues—such as the war in Gaza—she has promised to hold “both American political parties to equal scrutiny,” according to Fox News Digital. Her appointment has drawn both praise and skepticism from media insiders, with some questioning her lack of experience running a major television news division. Still, her direct line to Ellison and the support of Tom Cibrowski, a former ABC executive who joined CBS News as president earlier in 2025, suggest that Weiss will have both the authority and the resources to implement significant changes.
The memo itself, though simple in form, became a lightning rod for broader anxieties. As Variety noted, “a simple memo from a senior executive usually doesn’t spur such conflagration, but Weiss is no ordinary news leader.” The Writers Guild of America East pressed CBS for detailed answers: Who received the memo? Who would have access to the responses? Would employee feedback be used as grounds for discipline or layoffs? Would artificial intelligence play a role in reviewing the responses? CBS’s answers—especially the pledge that responses would not lead to punitive action—helped to quell some of the unease, but uncertainty lingers as the network awaits further details about its future.
Meanwhile, speculation continues about who will anchor the CBS Evening News. Norah O’Donnell, who stepped down from the role earlier this year, is reportedly a contender to return—a possibility that even drew a jab from former President Donald Trump, who told reporters, “So who’s going to be the head anchor at CBS? Not Norah O’Donnell. I don’t believe it.” The search for new anchors is just one piece of the larger puzzle as Weiss and her team chart a new course for the storied news division.
For CBS News staffers, the past week has been a whirlwind of memos, union advisories, and anxious speculation. The company’s assurances, relayed through multiple unions and confirmed by management, mean that no one will be disciplined or laid off for ignoring Bari Weiss’s memo. But as the network braces for further shake-ups and cost-cutting measures, the mood in the newsroom remains tense—and all eyes are on Weiss as she begins to shape the next chapter of CBS News.
In a media landscape defined by constant change, the CBS News memo episode is a microcosm of broader industry challenges: leadership transitions, union-management dynamics, and the ever-present specter of layoffs. As the dust settles, one thing is clear—staffers have been given the freedom to speak (or not) without fear of reprisal, but the real test of Weiss’s leadership, and CBS News’s future, is just beginning.
