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Paramount has selected former NYT opinion writer Bari Weiss to oversee CBS News, representing the most recent step by new owners to reshape activities of one of America's leading news organisations.

Paramount is additionally buying The Free Press, the online publication Weiss started after her acrimonious exit from the New York Times, in a arrangement estimated to be worth $150 million.

Ms Weiss, who has challenged television news for becoming overly political, said she was eager to put her stamp on CBS, which was acquired by David Ellison earlier this year as part of a broader merger with Paramount.

Background of the Executive

Ms Weiss, who started her career at Jewish media organizations, is noted for her backing of Israel and her questioning of "call-out culture".

Since its start as a digital bulletin in 2021, The Free Press has gained 1.5 million readers, including in excess of 170,000 subscribing supporters.

It has received recognition for reports such as a article skeptical of NPR by one of its ex- business editors, as well as an analysis of some photos used by mainstream news outlets to illustrate famine in Gaza.

Prominent authors include academic Niall Ferguson and economic thinker Tyler Cowen.

Strategic Plans

Mr Ellison said the hiring of Ms Weiss as chief editor was part of a larger effort to refresh coverage at Paramount and make CBS the "most reliable name in news".

"We believe the bulk of the country wants news that is fair and truthful, and we want CBS to be their home," he said.

Further Developments at CBS

Terms of the agreement were not made public. Paramount refused to discuss reports that the firm had paid $150 million in equity and currency.

Mr Ellison built his career as a Hollywood movie maker of hit movies such as Top Gun Maverick, True Grit and World War Z.

He has said his goal is to produce journalism that is less politically skewed, and therefore has the potential to connect with all demographics.

His acquisition of Paramount was cleared by government authorities this recent period, after the company committed to pay $16 million to conclude a lawsuit.

To secure clearance of the transaction, Mr Ellison committed to create an external reviewer at CBS to assess complaints of partiality and vowed to authorities that coverage would include a variety of opinions.

He also said CBS's veteran political show "Face the Nation" would no longer air edited interviews.

Collaboration Information

CBS News has a partnership agreement with a global news organization, meaning news material including visual material can be distributed.

In a statement revealing the agreement, Ms Weiss said she believed in the Paramount executive and his management group.

"They are doubling down because they have faith in news. Because they have conviction. Because they love this country. And because they recognize, as we do, that America cannot succeed without common facts, universal realities, and a unified worldview," she stated.