Bari Weiss Urges CBS News Staff to Pivot and Stay Relevant
Bari Weiss recently shared a critical message with CBS News staff, stressing the need for the network to adapt or risk irrelevance. During an all-hands meeting held on Tuesday, Weiss, the editor in chief of CBS News and head of the opinion site the Free Press, outlined her vision for the network’s future.
Bari Weiss’s New Direction for CBS News
Weiss unveiled a refreshed lineup of contributors, significantly drawing from the Free Press cohort. This new roster features prominent figures such as:
- Arthur Brooks, Harvard professor
- Niall Ferguson, historian
- HR McMaster, former national security adviser
- Clare de Boer, New York chef
- Andrew Huberman, neuroscientist and podcaster
- Mark Hyman, physician
Weiss emphasized her goal of making CBS News a platform appealing to a diverse audience across the political spectrum. “We’re for the center. We’re for the center-right, and we’re for the center-left,” she stated.
Need for Change in Audience Engagement
Weiss expressed concerns regarding the current viewership levels, arguing that solely relying on traditional broadcast audiences is no longer viable. She declared, “If we stick to that strategy, we are toast.” While some staff members resonated with her assessment, they also raised questions about the effectiveness of her proposed new contributors.
In addition to her plans for personnel changes, Weiss addressed a controversial decision to delay a segment on deportees sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison. She asserted that this delay was to gather more information and disassociated herself from any pressure imposed by Paramount Skydance chief David Ellison. The investigation ultimately aired four weeks later, albeit without an interview from government officials.
Embracing a Startup Mentality
Following Weiss’s remarks, Gayle King, co-host of CBS Mornings, echoed the call for improvement while maintaining the network’s foundational identity. King’s strong criticism of internal leaks underscored the atmosphere of uncertainty surrounding these changes. “I’m so sick of that,” she remarked, to which Weiss humorously acknowledged the potential for online broadcasts of their meeting.
Weiss also made it clear that not all employees might connect with her vision for CBS. She likened the network’s transformation to a startup—fast-paced, experimental, and occasionally noisy. “If you decide this is just not the right place at the right time for you, I completely respect that,” she concluded.
