In a stark warning to her team, CBS News chief Bari Weiss has declared that the network is on a path to failure unless it undergoes a dramatic transformation. Speaking to staff just three months into her tenure, Weiss invoked the legacy of legendary anchor Walter Cronkite only to dismiss it as outdated, stating bluntly that if CBS continues with its current approach, "we're toast."
A Call for Provocative Change in Journalism
Weiss, who founded The Free Press website and lacks prior broadcast news experience, has quickly become a polarising figure since being hired by Paramount's new management. She released her remarks publicly, positioning herself as a change agent determined to overhaul CBS News. Her message was clear: the network is not producing content that resonates with enough viewers, and trust in its output has eroded.
Confronting a New Media Landscape
Weiss highlighted the stark contrast between Cronkite's era, when CBS had just two competitors, and today's fragmented media environment with "two billion, give or take." She argued that CBS has been clinging to a dwindling broadcast television audience while being abandoned for podcasts, newsletters, YouTube, and more agile rivals. "Our strategy until now has been to cling to the audience that remains on broadcast television," she said. "If we stick to that strategy, we're toast."
She emphasised the urgency of adopting a streaming mentality, predicting it will become the primary, and eventually sole, method for consuming news. Weiss envisions CBS News as a laboratory for innovation, experimenting with podcasts, newsletters, and other digital formats to capture audience attention.
Investing in Scoops and New Voices
Weiss announced the hiring of 18 new contributors, signalling a push to diversify the network's perspectives. She stressed that CBS must focus on producing scoops—not just breaking news, but investigative pieces and "scoops of ideas" that offer deep explanation. "This is where we can soar—and where we'll be investing," she remarked, citing CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin as a model for building a personal brand.
She described CBS News as the "best capitalised media start-up in the world," but warned that start-up culture involves rapid experimentation, noise, and sometimes bad press. Weiss acknowledged that this environment might not suit everyone, respecting those who choose to leave.
Reflecting National Political Friction
Weiss called for CBS to "reflect more of the political friction that animates our national conversation" and "widen the aperture" of stories and voices featured. This aligns with her controversial decisions, such as holding a "60 Minutes" story critical of President Donald Trump's deportation policy and conducting interviews with Trump administration figures, including Trump himself.
In a question-and-answer session, she hinted at a "transformation" of CBS's workforce in coming years, though specifics remain unclear. Among the new contributors are figures like Niall Ferguson, a Free Press columnist supportive of Trump, and Mark Hyman, a doctor allied with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, indicating a move toward more conservative and diverse viewpoints.
Other hires include Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad, social scientist Arthur Brooks, and former National Security adviser HR McMaster, showcasing a broad range of expertise aimed at reinvigorating CBS's content.
