Paramount Considering Taking Power From Bari Weiss: Report
Daniel Paik via AP
Paramount appears to be running out of patience with the way Bari Weiss runs CBS News, with the parent company considering taking some control away from him and giving it to a “more experienced” television executive, according to a report from Puck’s. Dylan Byers.
CEO and Founder of Skydance David Ellison reportedly courted Weiss for a key role even before his company’s merger with Paramount was finalized, and quickly purchased her media company and named her editor-in-chief of CBS News. Weiss had written for The New York Times for years before starting The Free Press, but had no experience in broadcast journalism.
Many observers have described Weiss’s tenure as difficult.
Weiss has so far “endured his role as a media punching bag with relative aplomb,” Byers wrote, and has enjoyed the support of Ellison and other top Paramount executives.
“But there are signs that the dynamic is starting to change,” Byers added, sharing conversations he had about members of Paramount’s executive team having “informal discussions about changing Bari’s tenure at CBS News — and, eventually, CNN — in a way that would give him less control over the linear product.”
Instead, Byers wrote, “Paramount would be looking to bring in an executive capable of running this business.” »
Nothing has been decided or made official yet, but “sources with knowledge of the conversations” told Byers that Weiss would “likely cede day-to-day control over Evening News, CBS MorningsAnd 60 minutes to this more experienced, yet-to-be-named executive who will focus on the digital growth of the news division while maintaining broad editorial influence across all of the company’s platforms.
The motivation, Byers reported, is a feeling among Paramount’s top brass that Weiss “was given too broad a mandate for someone with no prior television experience, as well as some irritation at the relentless barrage of negative press,” and sources within CBS News are “complaining.”[ing] that Bari is significantly overwhelmed and lacks the experience and managerial skills necessary to manage the network.
Byers commented that it was “entirely unfair to blame this mishap” of CBS News’ woes entirely on Weiss, as the merger created an “unprecedented situation” and Ellison “may have been working through his own learning curve during this experience.”
“In this type of dynamic environment, big decisions were made quickly, even if they also had to be reversed relatively quickly,” Byers wrote, and “this potential new role could be a gift for Bari.”
“Despite all the headaches she had to deal with, the next person will have to deal with much worse,” he concluded.
Weiss tapped. Tony Dokoupil anchor CBS Evening Newsbut his turn in the anchor chair began in January with technical problems. He was criticized for being too unctuous with a Secretary of State shout. Marco Rubio at the end of a Miami broadcast, and critics flocked even more quickly to the president’s coverage Donald Trump. Reports quickly emerged that Weiss was seen as having great control over the extent of the show’s journalism to satisfy Ellison, causing problems ranging from the teleprompter gaffe to internal turmoil within the network. Other problems during Trump’s China trip — including Dokoupil having to broadcast from Taiwan due to a visa issue — did little to improve perceptions.
60 minutes single-handedly sparked numerous negative headlines for Weiss, including the departure of several longtime top officials and Weiss’ decision to delay the airing of a segment on the Terrorism Containment Centerabbreviated CECOT, a notorious maximum security prison in El Salvador where the Trump administration sent undocumented immigrants in violation of court orders.
Anderson Cooper reportedly on Weiss’ shortlist for next anchor to helm CBS Evening Newsbut not only did he turn her down for the anchor position, but he also declined an offer to renew his contract with 60 minutes. He was a television news correspondent for nearly two decades, winning four Emmy Awards and numerous other honors for his reporting. Status’ Olivier Darcy cited an industry observer who called Cooper’s departure “another black eye for Bari.”
Last Sunday was the last 60 minutes appearance, and he used his “elegant and moving retrospective” to “subtly criticize the direction of the series” under Ellison and Weiss, Byers reported.
“I hope 60 minutes remains 60 minutes“, Cooper said. “There are very few things that have been around as long as 60 minutes has and maintains the quality it has. Things can always evolve and change, and I think that’s great, and things should evolve and change. But I hope that the gist of this 60 minutes it always remains.
Cooper could find himself back on Paramount’s payroll in the near future, since the media conglomerate has set CNN as its next acquisition target — but Weiss could find himself in a different or reduced role, according to Byers’ sources.
A Paramount spokesperson sent the following statement to Mediaite: “Bari has the full support of Paramount and David Ellison as editorial executive overseeing CBS News and 60 minutes. Reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate.
This article has been updated to add a statement from a Paramount spokesperson.
New: The Mediaite One-Sheet “Newsletter of Newsletters”
Your daily summary and analysis of what the numerous media newsletters say and report. Subscribe now!
