Since Bari Weiss’ installation as the editor-in-chief of CBS News nearly a year ago, much has been said about what she has (and hasn’t) done during her time at the company. A number of the decisions Weiss has made up to this point have been scrutinized. Her handling of 60 Minutes has been a particular topic of debate, especially given the staffing changes that have taken place in recent months. A new report now suggests that employees believe Weiss failed an important “litmus test” around the time she was hired.
Weiss joined CBS News during an eventful time, as the recently Paramount Skydance was just settling in as the brand’s new parent company. Ahead of that, the now-defunct Paramount Global was seeking to settle a lawsuit with U.S. President Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes segment involving Kamala Harris. Trump’s administration claimed the footage was misleadingly edited and, apart from that, the suit was alleged to be the last hurdle preventing Paramount from getting FCC approval for its merger with Skydance Media.
Ultimately, the lawsuit was settled, and the execs at Paramount received backlash over that legal move. Per a wide-ranging exposé from New York Magazine, Weiss was asked to comment on whether the suit had merit in the first place. Sources say the Free Press founder decided not to comment and allegedly mentioned that her answer could be leaked. An insider from 60 Minutes claimed that this was a major mistake on Weiss’ part:
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It was a litmus test she failed from the jump. Staff were stunned she didn’t have a clear answer that supported the journalists that she now managed.
This isn’t the first time allegations have been shared regarding employees’ supposed feelings about Bari Weiss. In June, former CBS News exec Betsy West made claims about Weiss’ morning staff meetings, saying that they “devolve into grievance sessions about Mideast politics or candidates [Weiss] opposes.” In a separate report, it was also claimed that the editor-in-chief kept up a proverbial wall of sorts from her colleagues. Yet, in more recent months, it’s been claimed that Weiss has changed her ways in some respects.
Even more publicly, many chastised Weiss last fall when she chose to punt a 60 Minutes story about a prison in El Salvador. Weiss argued that “more” reporting was needed on the piece before it could go to air. This past summer has also seen many question the EIC’s decision to part ways with the news magazine show’s EP Tanya Simon as well as executive editor Draggan Mihailovich and correspondents Cecilia Vega and Sharyn Alfonsi. Scott Pelley was also let go after accusing Weiss of “murdering” the show.
Amid claims of “journalistic interference” and editorial partiality, Weiss has reportedly been seeking to update 60 Minutes to some extent. That includes bringing in new correspondents and contributors like Ross Douthat, Trevor Phillips and Ariel Levy. It’s also been reported that ahead of 60’s 59th season premiere amid the 2026 TV schedule, Weiss is planning a big marketing push.
Time will tell how this new era of 60 Minutes will fare under Bari Weiss’ leadership. At the same time, it also remains unclear whether further claims about Weiss’ choices might be shared by insiders.
