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Paramount has named ex- New York Times columnist Bari Weiss to lead CBS News, marking the most recent move by new owners to restructure operations of a major US news outlets.

Paramount is furthermore acquiring The Free Press, the online publication Weiss started after her contentious separation from the New York Times, in a agreement reported to be worth $150 million.

Ms Weiss, who has questioned network journalism for becoming excessively biased, said she was excited to shape CBS, which was taken over by David Ellison in recent months as part of a larger merger with Paramount.

Background of the Executive

Ms Weiss, who commenced her work at Jewish news outlets, is known for her advocacy of Israel and her questioning of "cancel culture".

Since its start as a newsletter in 2021, The Free Press has attracted 1.5 million subscribers, including in excess of 170,000 paid subscribers.

It has drawn attention for coverage such as a feature skeptical of NPR by one of its previous business editors, as well as an analysis of some images used by mainstream news outlets to illustrate famine in Gaza.

Prominent contributors include academic Niall Ferguson and economist Tyler Cowen.

Strategic Plans

Mr Ellison said the appointment of Ms Weiss as top editorial position was part of a broader campaign to update programming at Paramount and make CBS the "most-trusted name in news".

"We believe the bulk of the country desires news that is fair and fact-based, and we want CBS to be their destination," he said.

Further Developments at CBS

Terms of the arrangement were not revealed. Paramount would not address stories that the firm had paid $150 million in stock and cash.

Mr Ellison made his name 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 reporting that is less politically skewed, and therefore has the potential to engage all viewers.

His purchase of Paramount was authorized by government authorities this recent period, after the company consented to pay $16 million to settle a court case.

To win approval of the deal, Mr Ellison pledged to create an impartial arbitrator at CBS to assess concerns of prejudice and vowed to regulators that programming would include a variety of perspectives.

He also said CBS's established political show "Face the Nation" would cease to air altered conversations.

Partnership Details

CBS News has a collaborative arrangement with another major network, meaning news reporting including visual material can be exchanged.

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

"They are doubling down because they support news. Because they have courage. Because they love this country. And because they recognize, as we do, that America cannot succeed without shared information, agreed principles, and a shared perspective," she commented.