What Happened to Bari Weiss and CBS News?

Bari Weiss rose to prominence as an opinion writer known for her critiques of what she perceived as illiberalism and 'cancel culture' in media. After holding editorial roles at The Wall Street Journal, she joined The New York Times in 2017, where her columns often sparked debate. She resigned from The New York Times in July 2020, citing a 'hostile work environment' and accusing the paper of capitulating to online criticism. Following her departure, Weiss launched a Substack newsletter called Common Sense in January 2021, which rebranded as The Free Press in 2022 and quickly grew into a successful media company with a focus on independent journalism and commentary. By September 2024, The Free Press was valued at over $100 million and had raised $15 million in funding.

A pivotal moment occurred in October 2025 when Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS News, acquired The Free Press for approximately $150 million. As part of this acquisition, Bari Weiss, despite having no prior experience in broadcast journalism, was appointed to the newly created position of editor-in-chief of CBS News. This decision was widely interpreted as a strategic move by David Ellison, head of Paramount Skydance, to revamp CBS News, boost its ratings, and promote a 'diversity of viewpoints,' particularly appealing to right-of-center audiences and fulfilling commitments made to the Trump administration to secure the merger. The announcement was met with both praise from conservative circles and significant criticism from within the media industry, raising concerns about a potential rightward shift in CBS News' editorial direction.

Weiss's tenure at CBS News has been marked by rapid and controversial changes. In December 2025, she appointed 'CBS Mornings' co-host Tony Dokoupil as the 'CBS Evening News' anchor, effective January 2026. On Dokoupil's first broadcast, Weiss reportedly rewrote his script to portray a Donald Trump Venezuela military operation in a more favorable light, causing on-air issues. Later that month, she allegedly spiked a '60 Minutes' segment investigating a Salvadoran detention center. The most significant shake-up has occurred at '60 Minutes,' CBS's flagship investigative news program. In May 2026, Weiss replaced veteran executive producer Tanya Simon with Nick Bilton, a former New York Times technology columnist with no experience running a TV show. This was followed by the firing of several long-time correspondents, including Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.

The controversies escalated in June 2026 with the firing of veteran journalist Scott Pelley, a '60 Minutes' correspondent. Pelley publicly accused Weiss of 'murdering 60 Minutes' and attempting to 'inject falsehoods and bias into a politically sensitive story,' specifically regarding a report on protests in Minneapolis. He alleged that Weiss asked him to alter the story to make protesters appear more violent and to falsely state that a driver drove towards an officer, aligning with the Trump administration's narrative. CBS has disputed Pelley's claims of bias. Critics argue that Weiss is implementing a 'Trump playbook' by installing loyalists without broadcast experience and eliminating dissent, thereby undermining the journalistic independence of CBS News. As of June 7, 2026, the restructuring and internal conflicts at CBS News under Bari Weiss's leadership continue to be a major story in the media landscape.