Bari Weiss to Address CBS News Staff

After a challenging few months at the helm, CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss is set to hold a town hall meeting on Tuesday. The meeting aims to outline her vision for the future of the network.

Weiss, who joined the station in October, has faced some delays in scheduling this meeting, partly due to conflicts and a serious illness, as insiders mentioned to the Post.

This will be her first address to the entire network, which includes multiple stations, as she intends to share her plans for CBS News moving forward.

The town hall is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the network’s Newshub headquarters on 57th Street. Additionally, it will be livestreamed to staff in CBS News’ Washington, London, and Los Angeles offices.

It’s unclear whether Weiss will discuss the impending layoffs faced by the department. A representative chose not to comment on the matter.

Last October, CBS News laid off around 100 employees, and further layoffs are anticipated.

One of Weiss’ notable early actions included significant changes to the CBS Evening News, where she replaced co-anchors Maurice Dubois and John Dickerson with Tony Dokoupil last month.

She, alongside CBS News President Tom Cybrowski, has also revamped “CBS Saturday Morning” by reducing staff and changing co-anchors. Adriana Diaz and Kelly O’Grady have taken over for Dana Jacobson and Michelle Miller.

Plans are also in place to revitalize “CBS Morning,” which has struggled with viewership. Reports suggest that Weiss recently discussed a potential role change for star host Gayle King, shifting her to a lower-paying position.

Furthermore, Weiss aims to enhance the investigative division and is considering changes to “60 Minutes,” which might include letting go of long-time journalists like Scott Pelley and Sharyn Alfonsi.

Her brief time in charge has included some missteps, such as the cancellation of Alfonsi’s segment on El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison right before it was supposed to air, although it had already been available for viewing in Canada.

After significant pushback, adjustments were made to the segment, much to the frustration of Alfonsi and others on the “60 Minutes” team, raising concerns about tensions in the newsroom related to Weiss’ leadership style.

Meanwhile, CBS’s flagship shows, including “CBS Evening News,” “CBS Mornings,” and “CBS Saturday Morning,” are anticipated to report their lowest ratings this month, as previously indicated by the Post.

As one CBS official noted, “Bari Weiss has the job that she deserves,” while also describing the challenge of revamping the network as a tough task.