Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Political Scene | The New Yorker
Episode: How Bari Weiss Is Changing CBS News
Air Date: January 26, 2026
Host: David Remnick
Guest: Claire Malone (New Yorker staff writer)
Theme: An in-depth look at Bari Weiss’s controversial ascent to running CBS News, the upheaval it’s brought, and the broader implications for American media.

Episode Overview

This episode examines Bari Weiss's journey from opinion writer and provocateur at institutions like The New York Times and The Free Press to her current role as head of CBS News following a high-profile acquisition. The discussion, led by host David Remnick and media reporter Claire Malone, explores Weiss’s career, political positioning, criticisms from across the ideological spectrum, and her disruptive impact on the CBS newsroom culture and news coverage. (00:00–23:24)

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Bari Weiss’s Media Trajectory

• Early Career and Activism:
  • Weiss’s roots in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill and her deep connection to Jewish identity and Israel.
  • Notable activism at Columbia University over perceived anti-Israel bias in the Middle Eastern studies department.
  • Weiss's proactive personality: “She’s a really good networker. She sends the email, she walks up to people at the party, she sends the follow up note.” (Claire Malone, 05:10)
• Professional Rise:
  • Worked at Wall Street Journal opinion; transitioned to the New York Times under James Bennet post-2016 election.
  • Gained notoriety for anti-woke, contrarian op-eds, which often became Twitter flashpoints and drove NYT traffic.

The Times Fallout and Free Press Platform

• Times Departure:
  • Bari Weiss resigns from the New York Times in 2020, publishing a scathing open letter about hostile work culture and the Times’s "groupthink."
  • “She’s also really making this argument that the Times is essentially degrading itself by giving into the liberal political leanings of its staff,” (Claire Malone, 09:20)
• Building The Free Press:
  • Launches her own Substack (Free Press) with support from Silicon Valley figures—targeting “disaffected liberals in a hyper woke environment.” (Free Press Representative, 10:11)
  • The Free Press becomes “overwhelmingly Trump-sympathetic” during the 2024 campaign, especially on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
  • “The Free Press became very openly… not just pro-Israel, but antagonistic to the US media’s coverage of Israel.” (Claire Malone, 12:46)

The CBS News Takeover

• Hostile Acquisition:
  • Paramount/Skydance purchase leads to Weiss moving from the Free Press to CBS News as head, overseeing 1,300 employees.
• Skepticism and Culture Shock at CBS:
  • CBS morale was already low, with recent history of toxicity and lagging ratings.
  • Tension arises as Weiss, with her opinion-journalism background, introduces editorial changes, prompting suspicion among CBS’s traditional journalists.
• Editorial Shifts and Criticism:
  • Critics note a discernible ideological shift and “softening” toward Trump-era officials—e.g., the Tony Dokoupil interview with Trump.
  • Editorial choices, such as giving little time to January 6 coverage, have been noted as departures from industry norms.
  • “There are different editorial choices being made at CBS… perhaps some of that is sensibility, a desire for the news to speak to people in a more casual, intimate way.” (Claire Malone, 16:46)

Public Response and Long-Term Outlook

• Industry and Cultural Backlash:
  • CBS becomes the butt of jokes at the Golden Globes: “The award for most editing goes to CBS News.” (Free Press Representative, 18:52)
  • Weiss's open approach draws both support and concerns about the “baby out with the bathwater” effect on traditional journalism.
• Future and Uncertainties:
  • Potential for further experimentation—YouTube-native sensibility, more opinionated correspondents.
  • “What principles are you guided by?”—with Trump as a volatile figure, the direction of CBS News under Weiss remains highly uncertain. (Claire Malone, 20:36)
  • “It’s gotten to the point where the host of the Golden Globes… took time to insult CBS News under Bari Weiss.” (David Remnick, 18:33)
• Changing Newsroom Norms:
  • Discussions about whether CBS News should continue the shift from expert- and elite-driven coverage to a “people’s perspective,” risking alienation of existing audiences.
  • “De Koopa, in his promos… said we’ve listened too much to experts, to elitists, and not enough to you.” (Claire Malone, 21:49)
• Longevity and Leadership:
  • Claire Malone: “She seems to have the ear and trust of David Ellison… Sure, I think it’s plausible that she’ll still be running CBS News in two years.” (23:15)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Tucker Carlson’s Critique of Weiss (02:04):
  • “In no fair system, in no meritocracy, would Bari Weiss rise above secretary… there’s no world in which Bari Weiss rises to the top of a news network except a rigged world.”
• On Bari Weiss’s Editorial Style (07:24):
  • “Her defining ideology… coalesced into anti-woke. Right. That there was too much cancellation, too much group think.”
• Key Insight on the Free Press Audience (10:11):
  • “If you asked me what is the core Free Press persona, I would say it’s a disaffected liberal in a hyper woke environment. But it’s also a lot of other people… so it’s like, here comes everybody.”
• Critique of CBS Direction (14:48):
  • “There’s also an ideological agenda that seems in play here. I don’t think that’s being unfair.” (David Remnick)
• Golden Globes Jab (18:52):
  • “The award for most editing goes to CBS News.”
• Changing Journalistic Standards (21:49):
  • “De Koopa, in his promos for the show said we’ve listened too much to experts, to elitists, and not enough to you on too many stories.” (Claire Malone)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Tucker Carlson on Weiss’s Rise: 02:04–02:47
• Weiss’s Early Activism and Media Entry: 04:40–06:24
• The Times and Anti-Woke Identity: 06:44–07:49
• Weiss’s Open Resignation Letter: 09:03–09:42
• Free Press Ideology and Audience: 10:11–11:42
• Coverage of Gaza and Ideological Tensions: 12:36–13:07
• CBS News Takeover and Staff Skepticism: 13:22–14:48
• Concrete Changes in CBS Evening News: 15:05–16:46
• Golden Globes Cultural Joke: 18:33–18:58
• Speculation on Weiss’s Future at CBS: 22:50–23:24

Conclusion

This episode critically examines the ongoing transformation at CBS News under Bari Weiss, exploring her outsider status, controversial editorial decisions, and the challenge of reshaping a legacy news institution. The conversation highlights profound uncertainty both for Weiss’s leadership tenure and for the traditional norms of American broadcast journalism.