Pro-Israel journalist Bari Weiss named CBS News editor-in-chief

ISTANBUL

Bari Weiss, a pro-Israel journalist and founder of The Free Press, has been named editor-in-chief of CBS News following Paramount’s acquisition of her independent media outlet, the network announced Monday.

Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, said in a statement that the acquisition will combine CBS News’ scale and reach with The Free Press’ “culture-shaping voice and innovative spirit,” aiming to set a new standard for journalism in the US.

Weiss, 41, launched The Free Press in 2021 as a Substack newsletter critiquing legacy media and "woke" culture, growing it to 1.5 million subscribers with podcasts, events, and reporting on issues like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and COVID policies. The outlet, and Weiss personally, is recognized for its strong pro-Israel stance and more conservative bent.

“This partnership allows our ethos of fearless, independent journalism to reach an enormous, diverse, and influential audience,” Weiss said. “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 will oversee editorial priorities, champion “core values” across platforms, and lead innovation in how CBS News reports and delivers content. She will work alongside CBS News President Tom Cibrowski, reporting directly to Paramount CEO David Ellison, the statement said.

Ellison sealed an $8 billion merger with Paramount Global earlier this year, gaining control of the media giant that owns CBS News. He is the son of businessman and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who has donated tens of millions to the Israel army and built close ties with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the architect of Israel’s two-year-old genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

The appointment has reportedly caused trepidation among CBS News staffers, with its decades-old “that’s the way it is” signature style of news, embodied by the late anchor Walter Cronkite, already seen as tarnished.

In July, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to settle a legal dispute with US President Donald Trump over an allegedly manipulated fall 2024 interview with then-Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Legal experts said the editing of the interview was standard, and the case easily winnable, suggesting that the cash settlement was a way to win favor with Trump, who has repeatedly threatened US media outlets.