On Monday, October 6, 2025, the American media landscape was jolted by a major announcement: Paramount, now operating as a Skydance Corporation, had acquired The Free Press, a fast-growing digital commentary website, and named its founder, Bari Weiss, as the new editor-in-chief of CBS News. The move, which comes on the heels of a completed merger between Skydance Media and Paramount in August, signals a dramatic shift for one of the nation’s oldest and most respected news organizations.
David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount Skydance—and son of Oracle co-founder and prominent Trump supporter Larry Ellison—heralded the decision as a step toward modernizing CBS News and connecting more directly with audiences. "We are thrilled to welcome Bari and The Free Press to Paramount and CBS News. Bari is a proven champion of independent, principled journalism, and I am confident her entrepreneurial drive and editorial vision will invigorate CBS News," Ellison stated in a press release. He added, "This move is part of Paramount's bigger vision to modernize content and the way it connects—directly and passionately—to audiences around the world."
Weiss, who launched The Free Press in 2021 after a high-profile departure from The New York Times, has built a reputation as a fierce critic of what she describes as progressive orthodoxy and "woke" culture. The Free Press has grown rapidly, now boasting 1.5 million subscribers—over 170,000 of them paid—and an 82% increase in revenue over the past year, according to Paramount. The site is known for its sharp takes on culture-war issues, skepticism of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and occasionally controversial coverage of topics like vaccines and the Israel-Gaza conflict.
In her resignation letter from The New York Times, Weiss accused the paper of fostering a "culture of intolerance" and said she had been "bullied by colleagues who disagreed with her views." Since then, she has styled herself as a truth-teller, often at odds with legacy media. In a letter to CBS News staff this week, Weiss wrote, "I want to hear from you about what’s working, what isn’t, and your thoughts on how we can make CBS News the most trusted news organization in America and the world. I’ll approach it the way any reporters would—with an open mind, a fresh notebook and an urgent deadline."
Her appointment comes at a time when CBS News is grappling with internal concerns about a possible ideological shift. The network, long associated with journalistic icons like Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather, has faced accusations of moving closer to the Trump administration. As reported by The Associated Press, some CBS News staffers have expressed unease, especially after the hiring of Kenneth Weinstein—a former head of a conservative think tank and Trump contributor—as the network’s new ombudsman or "bias monitor." The timing of the Skydance-Paramount merger, which was approved shortly after Paramount settled a $16 million defamation lawsuit brought by former President Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes segment, has only fueled speculation about political motivations.
Ellison, for his part, has publicly stated that he does not intend to politicize CBS News. Yet, critics argue that the acquisition of The Free Press and the elevation of Weiss—along with the hiring of Weinstein—signal a deliberate rightward shift. As noted by The Free Press's own critics, the publication often reads like "press releases from the Trump administration" and is "reflexively critical of the left," while only occasionally offering gentle criticism of the right. Its coverage of Israel’s war in Gaza, for example, has been called out by media watchdogs for questioning famine conditions in the enclave, despite contrary findings by the United Nations and medical groups.
The Free Press, nevertheless, maintains that it is committed to "fearless, independent journalism." Weiss herself describes her politics as centrist, and the publication has at times criticized mainstream Republican positions, such as on abortion. The outlet’s notable backers include venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and David Sacks, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and hedge fund manager Paul Marshall. The site will continue to operate independently, maintaining its own brand and editorial voice, while Weiss takes on her new leadership role at CBS News.
In her new capacity, Weiss will report directly to Ellison and partner with CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, who in turn reports to Paramount's Chair of TV Media, George Cheeks. Editor-in-chief is a new role at CBS News, created specifically for Weiss. According to Paramount, she will "shape editorial priorities, champion core values across platforms, and lead innovation in how the organization reports and delivers the news." The partnership between Weiss and Cibrowski is intended to provide both continuity and fresh vision as CBS News seeks to transform itself into a dynamic, multiplatform newsroom, spanning television, streaming, digital, audio, social media, and live events.
To introduce The Free Press to a wider audience, the site has lifted its paywall for a "Free Week" from October 6 through October 12, allowing anyone to access its full slate of reporting, commentary, and livestreamed events. "This is a great moment for The Free Press. This partnership allows our ethos of fearless, independent journalism to reach an enormous, diverse, and influential audience. We honor the extraordinary legacy of CBS News by committing ourselves to a singular mission: building the most trusted news organization of the 21st Century," Weiss said in her official statement.
Still, the move has sparked debate across the political spectrum. Some see it as a long-overdue attempt to address what they perceive as bias in mainstream media and to inject fresh, independent perspectives into CBS News. Others view it as a capitulation to political pressure from the Trump administration and a threat to the network’s longstanding reputation for impartiality. As Dan Rather, the legendary former anchor of the CBS Evening News, told The Associated Press, "It is obvious that there is tremendous pressure to bend the knee to the Trump administration. The fear is that this appointment is part of that overall play."
Meanwhile, recent Pew Research Center data underscores the challenge facing CBS News: while 56% of Democrats or Democratic-leaning Americans say they trust the network, only 23% of Republicans do—a pattern mirrored across most major broadcast outlets. Republicans continue to favor Fox News Channel, while CBS, despite its devoted fan base for programs like 60 Minutes and CBS News Sunday Morning, generally ranks third in popularity behind ABC and NBC.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: the appointment of Bari Weiss and the acquisition of The Free Press mark a pivotal moment not only for CBS News, but for the broader debate over the future of American journalism. Whether this experiment in "fearless, independent journalism" will restore trust or deepen divisions remains to be seen, but all eyes are now on Weiss and the storied network she has been tapped to lead.
