Paramount has expressed support for Bari Weiss as editor in chief of CBS News, following a report that senior leadership had discussed reducing her oversight of the network. A spokesperson for the company said Weiss had the full backing of Paramount and David Ellison, adding that reports suggesting otherwise were inaccurate.
The denial came after Puck reported that members of the senior leadership team had held informal discussions about changing Weiss's mandate at CBS News and, eventually, CNN, in ways that would give her less control over the linear product. Instead, she would focus on digital growth while maintaining broad editorial influence across all platforms.
Weiss had no television experience when she was given oversight of CBS News's editorial operations, after David Ellison bought her digital site, the Free Press, for a reported $150m. She has been partnered with Tom Cibrowski, who serves as president of CBS News.
The report also highlighted concerns about the future of 60 Minutes, with insiders fearing that Weiss planned to drastically retool the show. It has already lost correspondent Anderson Cooper and is widely expected to cut ties with veteran Sharyn Alfonsi, meaning the cast will look different for its 59th season. However, a CBS News staffer expressed scepticism about the report, suggesting Weiss would need a few more stumbles before any change was made.
Ratings for CBS News have struggled under Weiss's leadership. The evening news show has averaged fewer than 4 million viewers per night for the last five weeks, trending toward its second-lowest audience this century. The flagship morning show has also averaged under 2 million viewers, easily surpassed by NBC's Today and ABC's Good Morning America.
