Paramount Expands Media Empire with Free Press Acquisition, Appoints Bari Weiss CBS News Editor-in-Chief
Paramount Global acquired The Free Press for $150 million, appointing founder Bari Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief. This move, part of CEO David Ellison's media expansion, sparks anxiety.
FOX NewsBari Weiss being named top CBS News editor causes liberal media to meltdown
PBS NewsHourWhat Paramount's shake-up of CBS News leadership means for the media landscape
Washington Free Beacon'What the F—?': CBS News Staffers Melt Down Over New Boss Bari Weiss
Breitbart NewsPanic Spreads at CBS News as Bari Weiss Becomes Editor-in-Chief
Overview
Paramount Global acquired Bari Weiss's media startup, The Free Press, for $150 million, appointing Weiss as the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, reporting to CEO David Ellison.
This acquisition is part of Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison's broader $8 billion media empire expansion, which also involves reshaping CBS News and exploring a stake in TikTok's U.S. operations.
Weiss's appointment, given her background in opinion journalism and lack of broadcasting experience, has caused significant anxiety and discontent among employees within the CBS News division.
Paramount also hired conservative Kenneth Weinstein as CBS News ombudsman, a move causing staff discontent but seen as crucial for gaining FCC approval for the Skydance merger.
Founded in 2021 by Weiss after leaving The New York Times, The Free Press has rapidly grown to 1.5 million subscribers and will continue operating independently under Paramount.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the story neutrally by presenting a factual overview of Bari Weiss's career, her criticisms of legacy media, and the context of The Free Press acquisition by Paramount. They detail her controversial past columns and her self-described political identity without adopting a biased stance, focusing on providing comprehensive background information for readers.