The American broadcasting landscape is witnessing a dramatic transformation as Bari Weiss, the newly appointed editor-in-chief at CBS News, implements sweeping changes aimed at overhauling the network's direction.
A New Vision for CBS
Weiss, a former New York Times journalist who was appointed in October, has made her ambitious plans clear to colleagues, famously declaring 'I wanna blow this up' according to Wall Street Journal reports. The outspoken editor, who runs the anti-woke news website The Free Press, has been given extensive authority by CBS's new owner David Ellison to address what he perceives as liberal excesses at the prestigious Tiffany Network.
The strategic move represents a deliberate attempt to boost declining ratings and rebuild viewer trust in the established broadcaster. Weiss's central mission involves rebranding CBS as 'radically centrist', signalling a significant departure from its current positioning.
Anchor Shake-Up and High-Profile Targets
Among the most immediate changes involves the struggling CBS Evening News programme. The show's anchor, John Dickerson, dramatically quit his role in October without providing any explanation. Sources indicate that co-anchor Maurice DuBois is also expected to be removed from his position.
Weiss faces the considerable challenge of finding a fresh face for the programme, with a stated preference for a male anchor. Her attention has turned toward two particularly high-profile, yet politically contrasting, figures: CNN's Anderson Cooper and Fox News's Bret Baier.
CBS has already attempted to recruit Cooper, but the CNN host expressed that he 'wasn't interested' and prefers his contributing role on 60 Minutes. Meanwhile, Weiss has also initiated conversations about Fox News star Baier for the weeknight anchor position.
Substantial Obstacles and Internal Speculation
Securing either prominent presenter would prove exceptionally difficult, even if they were willing to consider leaving their current roles. Both command enormous salaries, with Baier earning $14 million annually and Cooper making a staggering $18 million.
Furthermore, Baier recently renewed his contract with Fox News, extending his commitment through to 2028. Any move to rival CBS would require breaking this substantial agreement.
Within CBS, speculation has intensified regarding the future of CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King, with rumours suggesting she might be next facing dismissal. However, King has publicly dismissed this chatter, telling TMZ that such claims are 'news to her' and that executives have assured her she's doing 'a great job' and remains 'well-liked'.
The morning show star emphasised that 'she loves what she does and the coworkers with whom she does it'.
Weiss is widely regarded as a media visionary within industry circles. She resigned from her position as opinion editor at The New York Times in 2020, citing the newspaper's narrow liberal perspective and the bullying of staff members who voiced differing opinions.
Following her departure, she established a small news site called Honestly, which evolved into The Free Press. This publication was subsequently sold to CBS News's parent company Paramount as part of a $150 million deal, paving the way for her current influential role at the network.
