Paramount’s announcement on Monday that it would acquire The Free Press and install founder Bari Weiss atop CBS News as editor-in-chief prompted questions within the storied news organization about the future of its journalism, and what the conservative opinion editor has planned.
For now, Weiss is on a listening tour as she learns how the network operates (she has never had a leadership role in TV).
She is keeping her role within The Free Press, but the two organizations will remain separate. In her first note to staff, she laid out her approach, emphasizing journalism that is “fair, fearless, and factual” — values CBS News staffers already feel are reflected in news broadcasts. Washington employees will get a better sense of her priorities for the team when Weiss visits the DC bureau on Thursday.
Weiss’ first day on the job was busy. According to three CBS News staffers, she participated in calls with senior staff and made an appearance during an Evening News planning meeting.
During Monday morning’s staff call, network president Tom Cibrowski told staff he had spoken with Weiss repeatedly over the last few weeks in the leadup to the announcement, and praised her journalistic talent.
Weiss also met in recent days with former CBS News head Susan Zirinsky, who has remained at the network in an advisory role.