Overview
- George Clooney told Variety that Bari Weiss is "dismantling CBS News" and argued CBS and ABC should have fought Trump’s lawsuits rather than settle.
- Paramount paid $16 million to resolve Trump’s claim tied to a 60 Minutes interview, a deal reached as the Skydance takeover advanced; ABC paid about $15 million over a separate defamation dispute.
- Bari Weiss, installed as CBS News editor-in-chief after David Ellison’s Skydance gained control, has moved to reshape coverage since her October appointment.
- Weiss delayed a 60 Minutes report on deportations to El Salvador’s CECOT prison, drawing public criticism from staff, and later said the piece was not yet ready to air.
- After Clooney’s comments, Weiss issued an email invitation for him to visit the CBS Broadcast Center as she works to relaunch the Evening News on January 5, and Clooney also warned about AI-driven deepfakes eroding trust in video evidence.