Bari Weiss, co-founder and CEO of The Free Press, has been named editor-in-chief of CBS News, Paramount announced Monday — marking one of the most high-profile media appointments in recent memory.
The move follows Paramount’s August merger with Skydance Corp., now led by CEO David Ellison, who has made reshaping the company’s media strategy a top priority. Under the deal, The Free Press will be folded under Paramount while maintaining its own brand and operations.
Weiss will continue as The Free Press’s CEO and editor-in-chief but will now report directly to Ellison. Weiss, who launched The Free Press in 2021 with her wife, journalist Nellie Bowles, and sister, Suzy Weiss, said the partnership will allow the outlet to expand beyond its 1.5 million readers.
The appointment caps a turbulent period for CBS News, which earlier this year settled a $16 million lawsuit with Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes interview and hired an ombudsman to review potential bias in its coverage. With Weiss at the helm, Paramount hopes to make CBS “the most trusted news organization of the 21st century.”
