In the wake of recent reports about Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison’s dissatisfaction with CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, it seems he remains unhappy. The plan is to enhance her role by positioning her as head of editorial operations at CNN once the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger wraps up.
But really, who knows what’s accurate?
Honestly, does it even matter?
Regardless, this development will likely alarm and infuriate those at CNN, often viewed as a left-leaning outlet that promotes various conspiracy theories and political narratives. Even with Bari Weiss’s background as a gay Democrat critical of President Trump and Breitbart News, she apparently doesn’t fit the mold well enough to mingle with what some might call entitled left-wing personalities.
David Ellison is, without a doubt, a sharp individual, but it seems like he underestimates the challenges he faces in his quest to address leftist bias at CBS and, soon, CNN.
He seems to miss that engaging with certain key figures—like Abby Phillips, Erin Burnett, Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper, and Wolf Blitzer—can be tricky. These individuals are seen as firmly programmed to safeguard liberal agendas. To put it in simpler terms, Ellison should be aware that these are non-negotiable players in the game. They lack pity, fear, or regrets, and won’t stop until they achieve their goals.
Going halfway in dealing with the media left is futile. You’re up against individuals wholly committed to their cause, convinced that anything they do, no matter how harmful, is justified. Asking them to simply “stop lying” feels pointless, as they calculate that doing so would undermine their mission.
If Ellison wants to make real changes in his newsroom, he might need to start fresh, perhaps even from the ground up.
Consider Jake Tapper, who once focused an entire segment on President Trump in a way that seems more about derision than discourse. How do you even begin to reason with someone like that? Is it possible for someone driven by such animosity to remain level-headed?
No, probably not.
None of this unfolds in a logical way.
That’s why Ellison’s efforts may ultimately falter, leading to the same outcomes.
What rationale would suggest that someone with such a history would be open to change?
Letting Leslie Stahl remain at 60 Minutes is akin to keeping a minor illness untreated in a patient.
If Ellison genuinely seeks reform, he should analyze the changes between President Trump’s first and second terms. In the first term, Trump engaged several traditional Republicans, including his vice president, yet dealt with numerous leaks and resistance. In contrast, in his second term, he has surrounded himself with individuals who align closely with his policies.
What’s puzzling about Ellison and Weiss’s presence at CBS and CNN is their poor ratings. So, what’s the rationale for keeping them on board? What value do Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett really bring?
Real reform requires dramatic measures. If you don’t clean house, these figures will merely stave off changes, complain, and eventually wear you down until you throw in the towel. It’s akin to what Iranians have done with Trump.
