Bari Weiss outlines editorial vision for CBS News
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Photo: Noam Galai/Getty Images for The Free Press
CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss on Tuesday outlined a new set of editorial priorities for the storied network, including naming a new masthead and bringing on new voices and talent that can expand CBS News' reach to digital mediums.
Why it matters: It's the latest in a slew of measures Weiss has introduced to shift the network's coverage from focusing on linear television to streaming.
- It's also part of a broader effort to align CBS News with a set of journalistic principles and guidelines she introduced in October.
- Many of those changes ruffled the feathers of longtime staffers who worry they threaten the network's editorial independence.
- Weiss was hired in October after CBS parent Paramount Skydance acquired her news startup, The Free Press. Weiss reports directly to Paramount CEO and chair David Ellison.
Zoom in: During Tuesday's presentation, Weiss debuted a new masthead that includes CBS News' executive editor Tom Cibrowski; Wendy Fisher, a CBS editorial executive; Charles Forelle, who previously served as deputy editor of the Wall Street Journal; Adam Rubenstein, Weiss' colleague at The Free Press and Terri Stewart, a CBS News veteran of 44 years.
- Cibrowski and Fisher both predate Weiss at the company.
- She also announced a slate of new contributors for the network, including popular science podcasters Andrew Huberman and Peter Attia, plus existing columnists and contributors for The Free Press Niall Ferguson and Patrick McGee, prominent New York chef Clare de Boer, best-selling cookbook author Caroline Chambers and journalist Casey Lewis, who writes a Substack focused on Gen-Z and Gen Alpha trends.
The big picture: Weiss has faced internal and external backlash for her bold moves meant to help CBS News better cover "the world as it is," as she likes to put it.
- During Tuesday's town hall, staffers asked Weiss to respond to accusations that CBS has become a right-wing outlet following changes she has made.
- "I would respond simply by saying, look at our coverage. Look at the coverage that CBS News has put out since I started. Look at the coverage of The Free Press," Weiss said.
What's next: Weiss also established a new business editorial leadership team at the network, meant to help build out the outlet's commercial and growth opportunities.
- She announced the launch of a new series that will be spearheaded by that team that is being sponsored by Bank of America.
