Bari Weiss at CBS News: A year of drama and challenges as she attempts to revamp the Tiffany Network

Last October, Paramount owner David Ellison appointed Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News following his $150 million purchase of her outlet The Free Press. The appointment came amid Ellison's $8 billion takeover of Paramount, which critics believe received FCC approval after settling President Donald Trump's "60 Minutes" lawsuit for $16 million.

Weiss, who launched The Free Press after leaving The New York Times, quickly embraced Ellison's mission to appeal to political centrists rather than ideological fringes. Despite this, left-wing outlets like The Daily Beast have branded her as "MAGA-coded," reflecting the polarized reception to her leadership.

Newsroom clashes

Weiss's tenure has been marked by contentious newsroom battles. Her first major clash came in December 2025 with "60 Minutes" correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi over a shelved report on El Salvador's CECOT prison. Weiss insisted the report needed a Trump administration voice, while Alfonsi accused her of playing politics.

According to Semafor, Weiss clashed with veteran correspondent Lesley Stahl over an Israeli settler violence segment, with Stahl reportedly considering quitting. A leaked recording also showed correspondent Holly Williams having a heated exchange with Weiss's hand-picked foreign editor Shayndi Raice over Israel coverage.

CBS News staffers have repeatedly shared complaints about Weiss with media reporters during her tenure.

'60 Minutes' overhaul

Veteran correspondent Scott Pelley publicly criticized Bilton's "slender qualifications" before being terminated himself.

With Anderson Cooper's February departure, "60 Minutes" lost four of its seven correspondents. Weiss and Bilton later brought in New York Times columnist Ross Douthat and CBS veteran Norah O'Donnell as new correspondents.

Ratings challenges

CBS News remains in third place behind its rivals. "CBS Mornings" is on pace for its worst year ever with 1.7 million viewers, down 12% from last year. "CBS Evening News" averages 4 million viewers, less than half of ABC's "World News Tonight." Only "Face the Nation" maintains a modest lead over competitors in total viewers.

Weiss now faces new challenges as Skydance begins integrating Warner Bros. Discovery, which includes CNN. Rumors of Ellison elevating Weiss to oversee both CBS News and CNN have been put on hold as the company explores cost-cutting measures. A CBS spokesperson declined to comment on future plans.