After Party with Emily Jashinsky

Episode: Why CBS Brought Bari In, and Safe New Media, with Glenn Greenwald, PLUS Taylor Swift Changes Her Tune

Release Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Emily Jashinsky
Guest: Glenn Greenwald

Episode Overview

This episode unpacks a monumental shift in American media—the acquisition of Bari Weiss's The Free Press by CBS (Paramount) and her appointment as Editor-in-Chief of CBS News. Emily and Glenn Greenwald dissect what this means for the trajectory of new media, independent journalism, and broader sociopolitical trends. Additional topics include emerging evidence related to January 6 investigations, the “Dixie Chicks 2.0” moment for country star Zach Bryan, and a cultural analysis of Taylor Swift’s evolving stance on marriage, with reflections on generational divorce patterns.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bari Weiss, The Free Press, and CBS: Media Independence or Co-optation?

• Background: Bari Weiss, previously fired from The New York Times in the wake of online pressure, has now sold The Free Press to Paramount for a reported $150 million and will serve as Editor-in-Chief of CBS News ([06:00–07:47]).

• Greenwald’s Take:

  • Glenn frames the move as symbolic of a growing trend—pro-Israel billionaires like Larry Ellison consolidating traditional and new media, particularly as US support for Israel becomes more contested ([07:47–10:30]).

    “Larry Ellison...the founder of Oracle...happens to be the largest private donor to the Israeli Defense Forces...using his vast wealth to buy as many...influential media, communications, and social media platforms as exist, at exactly the time that support for Israel is unraveling.”
    — Glenn Greenwald (08:07)

  • Questions independence claims:

    “We were just purchased by one of the largest media corporations on the planet for $150 million. But don’t worry! We’re as independent and free and unconstrained as ever before.”
    — Glenn Greenwald (16:31)

• Emily’s Framing:

  • Highlights Ben Dreyfus’s observation on the irony of the path that brought Weiss to CBS:

    “No matter what you think of the Free Press, I hope everyone can admit it is very funny that Twitter got her...fired from her $115,000 a year job at the New York Times and four years later she...is the head of CBS News. LOL.”
    — Ben Dreyfus, paraphrased by Emily (06:54)

• Potential Positives?

  • Both hosts speculate about whether bringing new media talent might diversify legacy media formats or if it will just be an aesthetic change serving existing power structures ([13:00–14:30]).

2. The Limits and Dangers of ‘New Media’ Going Mainstream

• David & Larry Ellison’s Intentions:

  • Glenn says the Ellisons are unlikely to seek disruptive journalism, but rather ideology reinforcement—chiefly, “support for Israel” ([13:00–15:43]).
  • Cites Chomsky’s maxim about systemic media bias not needing overt conspiracy; the system ensures those who fit the desired mold rise ([10:53–11:10]).

• The Myth of Independence:

  • Glenn critiques claims that The Free Press will remain “independent within Paramount”:

    “It’s a hilarious sentence...The Free Press will be an independent part of a massive corporation, meaning it’s not independent in any way whatsoever.”
    — Emily Jashinsky (15:43)

  • Relates his own experience at The Intercept, noting that even financially successful independent operations are eventually constrained when absorbed by corporate media ([16:31–19:05]).

• “Catch and Kill” Concerns:

  • Emily raises the possibility that mainstream media acquisitions can neuter the disruptive threat of new outlets ([19:05–20:16]).

    “Could there be a catch and kill situation?...Does [integration] gradually, over time, start turning into, no, let's not do Dave on this, let's not do that Israel debate?”
    — Emily Jashinsky (19:05)

  • Glenn notes the inevitability of commercial and donor influence over content, especially around Israel ([20:16–22:31]).

3. Safe Rebels: The Aesthetics of Independence

• Why Bari Weiss is Palatable:
  • Glenn discusses Weiss’s appeal to legacy media owners: She offers “rebel” credibility while being fundamentally aligned with establishment interests ([22:31–24:36]).

    “She’s also very safe from the perspective of, you know, her ideology. Nothing extremist about her ever, except her pro-Israel stance, which is very much aligned with the Ellisons. So she’s kind of like the perfect sweet spot.”
    — Glenn Greenwald (24:16)

4. Free Speech, Censorship, and Israel

• Glenn argues that Bari Weiss and The Free Press have been strategic—not flagrantly hypocritical—regarding censorship, but their advocacy around Israel has muted consistent free speech principles ([25:27–27:47]):

  “She’s much more subtle about it...When you look at the intensity and the severity of censorship...the amount of denunciation and coverage from the Free Press is minuscule compared to what it ought to be.”
  — Glenn Greenwald (25:27)

• Both agree CBS was never anti-Israel, and Weiss’s presence serves to double down on existing editorial positions ([27:47–30:12]).

5. Structural Power and the Consolidation of Media

• Emily and Glenn detail the jaw-dropping scope of the Ellison family’s media holdings (CBS, Paramount, Skydance, a stake in TikTok, possible CNN parent buyout) and express concern about any journalist claiming to trust this much concentrated power ([30:12–33:33]):

  “I just cannot imagine the mentality of a journalist who says, I trust that...as a journalist, this is my last point...I just cannot imagine that mentality, period.”
  — Emily Jashinsky (30:44)

6. Surveillance of Republican Senators

• News Item: Senator Chuck Grassley released evidence suggesting special counsel Jack Smith (re: Jan. 6) subpoenaed phone records of ~a dozen Republican Senators ([34:48–41:36]).
• Glenn’s View: Concerned about abuse of warrantless surveillance, especially in politically charged contexts:

  “Spying on 12 senators at once as part of what is obviously a politicized prosecution...a prosecutor who was appointed by a Democratic administration, clearly carrying out the political business of a Democratic Party. Yeah, that’s going to be a major story...”
  — Glenn Greenwald (37:08)

• Both bemoan cycles of political retribution and loss of trust in basic norms and institutions ([41:36–45:21]).

7. The “Dixie Chicks 2.0” Moment: Zach Bryan and Cancel Culture Evolving

• Context: Zach Bryan’s new song sparks accusations of “Dixie Chicks 2.0” (referencing the infamous early-2000s right-wing backlash against the Dixie Chicks over an anti-Bush comment) ([48:12–55:50]).
  • Glenn draws a straight line from early-2000s right-wing “cancel culture” to today, emphasizing the intensification of culture war polarization aided by social media.

    “If you go and look at what the Dixie Chicks actually said, it was so incredibly mild...it wasn’t just that people exercised their right and said, ‘Oh, I’m not going to buy their albums.’ It was nowhere near that genteel. It was book burnings, threats, banishment from public life.”
    — Glenn Greenwald (51:01)

  • Both warn of the dangers of turning all art and public expression into ideological litmus tests, fostering a climate of fear and conformity ([53:55–55:50]).

8. Backlash Politics and the Right’s Cultural Ascendancy—But at a Cost

• Emily and Glenn discuss a sense among conservatives that the cultural wind is at their back in 2025, but argue that heavy-handedness can easily generate backlash, especially when decency and cruelty become the dividing line ([55:50–58:49]):

  “I feel Americans have a basic decency to them...they may be resentful about certain problems...but I don’t think they want to see cruelty, like gratuitous cruelty...And there’s a big difference between [arresting] a person wanted on warrants and grabbing a family...who are just trying to make a better living for themselves.”
  — Glenn Greenwald (57:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Bari Weiss & The Free Press at CBS

• "They're not buying CBS to do anything revolutionary. They're buying it in order to fortify what their ideology is. And that begins and ends with, for the moment, support for Israel. And Bari is perfect for that."
  — Glenn Greenwald ([14:20–15:43])

• "The Free Press will be an independent part of a massive corporation, meaning it's not independent in any way whatsoever."
  — Emily Jashinsky ([15:43])

On the Nature of “Independence” in Media

• "You couldn't offer me enough money to go work for a network TV station, let alone be an executive there…If you think you're going to be independent no matter what you're promised at the beginning, I think you're going to be in for a rude awakening."
  — Glenn Greenwald ([18:01])

On Power, Censorship, and Debate

• "The future of new media maybe is having the aesthetics of debate and the aesthetics of independence...the superficial gloss of independence of new media. But these major corporations are like, okay, so this person knows how to do a really good podcast. We'll let them have a debate every once in a while, but it sure as hell is not going to be with Dave Smith."
  — Emily Jashinsky ([21:38])

On Cancel Culture and the Culture War

• “If everything is micro analyzed through some political or partisan or ideological prism, all we're going to do is create this very frightened, conformist, stagnant culture where everybody is petrified of saying anything…That’s really the climate of an autocracy or like a tyranny…”
  — Glenn Greenwald ([53:55])

Timestamps for Significant Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Summary | |-----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:25–07:47 | Bari Weiss's Free Press acquired by CBS; launching clip and commentary about the significance of the move | | 07:47–10:30 | Greenwald on Larry Ellison, media consolidation, Israel, and the shifting political climate | | 10:30–13:00 | Chomsky’s theory of media, legacy vs. new media, and The Free Press’s trajectory | | 13:00–15:43 | Strategic media acquisitions: intentions, limits, and why Weiss is seen as “safe” | | 16:31–19:05 | The reality behind "independence" in the context of corporate media buyouts | | 19:05–20:16 | “Catch and kill” in media: Does corporate absorption blunt dissent or allows genuine debate? | | 22:31–24:36 | Weiss’s “sweet spot” appeal for legacy media; rebels that insiders can trust | | 25:27–27:47 | The Free Press, censorship, and consistent advocacy for free speech—realities and omissions | | 30:12–33:33 | The overwhelming scope of the Ellison family’s media power and what it means for journalism | | 34:48–41:36 | Revelations about FBI/DOJ surveillance of Republican senators in Jan. 6 probe | | 48:12–55:50 | “Dixie Chicks 2.0”? Zach Bryan, cancel culture’s evolution, and lessons from 2003 to today | | 55:50–58:49 | The cultural backlash to right-wing power: American decency, cruelty, and the limits of political momentum | | 61:46–70:00 | Taylor Swift’s personal-political evolution: Marriage, feminism, and changing generational ideals | | 70:00–78:00 | Gen Z divorce, New York Times coverage, and why trends may not be as dire or fringe as reported |

Taylor Swift: From Feminist Rejection to Traditional Longing

Emily’s Analysis ([61:46–70:00]):

• Taylor Swift’s new lyrics suggest a shift—rejecting earlier feminist posturing and expressing desire for traditional commitment, marriage, and children.
• Examples:
  • “When I said I don’t believe in marriage, that was a lie. Every eldest daughter was the first lamb to the slaughter. So we all dressed up as wolves.”
  • “I just want you, hon, have a couple kids, got the whole block looking like you, got me dreaming about a driveway with a basketball hoop.”
• Emily links this to generational data: Millennial and Gen Z women increasingly express traditional aspirations, despite public rhetoric or elite trends.

Gen Z Divorce: Media Myths vs. Data Realities

Emily on the NYT’s “Gen Z Divorce” article ([70:00–78:00]):

• The New York Times showcases the most performative, “shameless” elements of Gen Z divorces, but the data suggests marriage is stabilizing and divorce rates are falling.
• The danger is that elite media’s “nut-picking” of bizarre fringe cases distorts perceptions for the wider, less privileged public.

Final Thoughts

• Across topics—from The Free Press and CBS, to cancel culture and Taylor Swift’s lyrics—a common thread is the peril and promise of authenticity in American culture. Both Glenn and Emily warn of cooptation, the illusion of independence, and the numbing effects of cultural wars turning every expression into a purity test. But they also find some hope in data: less divorce, evolving cultural norms, and ordinary people’s basic decency.

Guest Attribution

• Glenn Greenwald: Author, journalist, host of “System Update,” credited throughout for analysis of media dynamics, the Israel lobby, and contemporary civil liberties issues.
• Emily Jashinsky: Host, cultural analyst, and commentator, providing connective tissue between topics and unique insights into pop culture trends.

For all topics, skip to the marked timestamps for deeper dives, memorable quotes, and Glenn’s incisive commentary.