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Paramount Skydance Said to Buy The Free Press, Name Bari Weiss CBS News Editor in Chief

Multiple outlets report Weiss would report directly to CEO David Ellison in a bid to reset CBS News’ editorial direction.

Overview

  • Reports from Puck and others say an announcement could come Monday, though the timeline and final terms remain in flux and unconfirmed by Paramount or CBS.
  • The deal reportedly values The Free Press at about $150 million, using a mix of cash, stock, and earn-out provisions.
  • Weiss is expected to bypass standard newsroom reporting lines by reporting directly to David Ellison, while Tom Cibrowski would remain CBS News president, according to these reports.
  • Sources say The Free Press would operate as a standalone property under Paramount rather than being folded into CBS News.
  • Newsroom staff and media commentators have voiced sharp criticism of the prospective move, which follows recent scrutiny of CBS News and governance changes tied to the Skydance–Paramount merger.