CBS News: Big Changes Ahead

Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief at CBS News, is planning significant changes. She aims to hire around 18 new commentators and let go of some staff. This news comes from anonymous sources within CBS familiar with her plans.

A Short but Impactful Tenure

Weiss has been at CBS for a short time but has already made waves. She's revamping the CBS Evening News and questioning the network's fairness. Some staff, like Jan Crawford, support her, while others criticize her leadership and changes.

External Criticism and Denials

Liberal critics outside CBS accuse Weiss of aligning with the network's owners, who are reportedly friends with President Trump and aim to take over Warner Bros. Discovery. Weiss denies these claims but has not addressed the press directly.

Background and Hiring

Weiss was hired to shake things up at CBS News. She previously worked at the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. The new owners of Paramount, David Ellison, brought her in to implement changes. Before Weiss, CBS had to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit with Trump, which helped Ellison gain approval from Trump's broadcast regulator.

Changes to CBS Evening News

Weiss has been working on the CBS Evening News, with Tony Dokoupil as the new anchor. Dokoupil criticizes the press for focusing too much on advocates and elites, promising more accountability and transparency than Walter Cronkite, the famous CBS anchor.

Controversial Decisions

Some staff were upset when Weiss decided not to air a 60 Minutes story about immigrant abuse, despite it being approved by lawyers and promoted. The story eventually aired with some extra comments from Trump officials.

The CBS Evening News has also made controversial choices, such as removing the "Eye On America" segment, which featured regular Americans, in favor of covering major news events. On January 6, Dokoupil only mentioned Trump's accusations and a Democrat's response, upsetting some viewers, including Sarah Longwell from the Bulwark.

Scott MacFarlane, a CBS Justice correspondent, was also upset. He has been covering the January 6 attack for years but wasn't on air that night. Instead, he discussed it on the BBC. Dokoupil also did a light-hearted segment about Marco Rubio, which some people disliked.

Big Interviews and Unedited Content

Weiss has been trying to secure big interviews for CBS. Dokoupil interviewed Trump, and the White House threatened to sue if it wasn't aired in full. CBS decided to air it unedited. Some also noticed that a segment about a shooting by a federal officer didn't air on the main news program.

Growing Pains and Challenges

Andrew Heyward, a former CBS News President, notes that there are always growing pains when starting something new. He believes the changes at CBS Evening News have been harder due to today's political climate and some mistakes.