In brief
Bari Weiss, the newly appointed leader of CBS News, is advocating for significant changes to the network's approach, stressing the need for innovation and a diverse range of contributors. Drawing inspiration from the legacy of Walter Cronkite, Weiss aims to pivot CBS News toward a streaming-centric and audience-oriented model, highlighting the importance of investigative journalism and diverse perspectives.
Three months into her tenure as president of CBS News, Bari Weiss is shaking things up. During a recent address to her staff, she invoked legendary journalist Walter Cronkite to highlight the need for the network to shed outdated thinking, stating that continuing their current strategy could lead to failure.
Weiss announced the hiring of 18 new contributors, emphasizing the need for CBS News to produce stories that surprise and provoke thought, even within its own newsroom. Having founded the Free Press website without prior experience in broadcast journalism, Weiss has quickly become a controversial figure, intensifying scrutiny regarding the network's direction.
Her remarks resonated with her audience, culminating in a call to action: CBS News must transform from a traditional broadcast-based model to a more dynamic, streaming-focused approach if it hopes to maintain relevance among an increasingly distracted audience.
We can’t reverse time’s arrow, Weiss stated, acknowledging that, unlike Cronkite's era, CBS now competes against a myriad of content providers. She stressed that CBS News needs to adapt to meet people where they are, shifting away from an over-reliance on broadcast television.
To drive home her message, Weiss voiced her ambition for CBS News to be viewed as a lab for new ideas—encompassing podcasts, newsletters, and innovative storytelling methods—much like CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin.
As a part of her vision, Weiss pledged to prioritize investigative journalism, ensuring that CBS News delivers substantial, lasting stories rather than fleeting scoops. She expressed her belief that CBS News has the potential to be the best-capitalized media startup in the world, focused on experimentation and forging new paths in journalism.
Weiss concluded by suggesting that the workforce at CBS should better reflect the diverse political conversations permeating national discourse, implying a future shift in the types of stories covered and voices heard.
As part of her strategy, CBS News has already begun the process of diversifying its contributors, which include notable figures like Niall Ferguson and H.R. McMaster. The expanded roster aims to enrich the storytelling landscape at CBS and ensure it reflects a broader spectrum of views.
