Bari Weiss, the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, addressed the network’s editorial team during a meeting on Thursday, following a week of mostly observing and assessing the situation. The focus was on the recent peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, as reported by the Post.
Weiss, who is 41 and brings a measured approach to journalism, has just stepped into her role as news director this Monday. Earlier in the week, she kept a lower profile during the daily 9 a.m. editorial meetings, but by Thursday, she had started to assert herself more, according to sources.
She has been particularly vocal regarding the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. An insider mentioned that Weiss encouraged the team to reach out to key figures like Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the former president’s son-in-law, who were instrumental in crafting the plan to resolve the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Additionally, Weiss seemed keen on collaborating with the reservations team to arrange interviews with Kushner and Witkoff, both of whom played significant roles in securing the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
During the same meeting, Jenna Gibson, an executive producer at CBS News, introduced herself to Weiss and discussed efforts being made with chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan to encourage Kushner and others to engage with the station regarding the peace deal.
It appears that this was the first time Weiss took an active role in such discussions, as observed by someone in the room.
CBS News chose not to comment on these developments.
In tandem with these changes, David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount Skydance, which owns CBS, announced that Weiss would be leading the editorial direction of the station. He also shared plans for a $150 million acquisition of her news platform, The Free Press. Weiss is known for her strong support for Israel and her opposition to the rising anti-Semitism in the U.S., especially following the brutal Hamas attack on Israel two years ago.
Weiss, who holds center-right views—including a stance against so-called “wokeism” and criticisms of diversity and inclusion policies—has stirred some controversy within a network that has been described by current and former staff as feeling somewhat chaotic.
In a memo to the staff earlier this week, Ellison reflected on the “partisan” atmosphere and the ongoing “adversarial conflict,” expressing optimism that Weiss would usher in “rigorous, fact-based reporting” that resonates with diverse perspectives.
Ellison’s company had recently merged with Paramount for $8 billion, prompting a commitment to address allegations of bias in their reporting.
Notably, before the Federal Communications Commission approved this merger, Paramount reached a $16 million settlement with Donald Trump regarding claims he made about edits made to a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris just before the election.
In a separate incident, CBS faced accusations of biased coverage concerning Israel, which displeased Shari Redstone, the company’s controlling shareholder at that time. Various complaints were raised, including criticism of a controversial “60 Minutes” segment that many found heavily skewed and factually inaccurate, aligning with narratives from groups like the American Jewish Committee.
