January 1, Paramount Moves Bari Weiss to CBS News Helm

Wyatt’s Take

• Bari Weiss is set to take over as CBS News editor-in-chief.
• Paramount bought The Free Press for $150 million but will keep it separate.
• Weiss will report directly to the top, bypassing CBS leadership layers.

Bari Weiss will become the first editor-in-chief at CBS News after Paramount struck a $150 million deal to buy her publication, The Free Press. She will answer straight to Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, going over the usual CBS News leaders.

The Free Press stays as its own brand within Paramount. The buyout includes both cash and stock options.

This move puts Weiss in control of CBS News’ editorial direction. It marks a comeback for her after leaving The New York Times five years ago under tough circumstances.

“Bullying by colleagues” and an “illiberal environment” pushed her to resign from the Times, according to her letter.

Weiss is known for standing apart from the media pack since her departure. This deal gives her real power as media giants face calls to shed their left-leaning bias.

Paramount’s move signals a shift in old-school media, letting in voices not tied to the political left. Weiss is not a conservative, but she is open to right-wing ideas, often inviting them on her podcast.

For Americans hungry for less one-sided news, Weiss’s rise may offer a breath of fresh air in a landscape dominated by big-city bosses.

Stay tuned as this could mark the start of changes in how news gets told in this country.

Wyatt Matters

Seeing new hands at the wheel in big media means regular folks might finally hear stories that hit closer to home. It’s about time the heartland gets a fair shake in the newsrooms that shape what America hears every day.

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