Bari Weiss’s move to lead CBS News has rattled the Left and sparked speculation she might recruit prominent conservatives from other networks, a shift conservatives welcome as a chance to restore balance and basic journalism to a major broadcast outlet.
Bari Weiss stepping into CBS’s top editorial job has already produced loud reactions, mostly from the media’s left wing. They are uncomfortable because Weiss is not a predictable partisan; she is center-liberal but willing to question the prevailing orthodoxy. That alone is enough to unsettle people used to a comfortable groupthink. Conservatives see an opportunity for real editorial correction and a return to tougher reporting.
Recent moments suggest Weiss wants to reset how the network operates and hold people accountable for their work. Margaret Brennan’s hard questioning of House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries on Face the Nation was a reminder that hosts can do their jobs without partisan shielding. People on all sides benefit when interviewers press power with follow-up and clarity. If Weiss encourages that, it would be a straightforward move toward ordinary journalism.
Rumors that Weiss is looking beyond CBS for talent have the left particularly agitated. One persistent item in the chatter is the idea she might try to lure Bret Baier from Fox, though that sounds unlikely given his long tenure and deep roots at that network. The mere suggestion, however, shows Weiss is willing to think broadly about talent and audience. That willingness to mix perspectives is what has some inside the media alarmed.
A more plausible target seems to be Scott Jennings, currently a conservative voice on CNN who reportedly visited Weiss at CBS’s New York offices. Jennings has built credibility with conservative audiences because he doesn’t shy from challenging the Democratic narrative. Bringing him into CBS in a visible role would shift the network’s lineup and potentially attract viewers who have avoided CBS for years. For those worried about ideological echo chambers, that is precisely the kind of change many conservatives want.
Weiss’s initial moves inside CBS show she intends to ask basic managerial questions that should be routine at any organization. She has asked employees what they do and what is or is not working, which drawn surprise because it breaks from the culture that had grown comfortable with little oversight. It’s not revolutionary; it’s management. But a simple focus on accountability can produce meaningful improvements in reporting standards and editorial judgment.
Some episodes at CBS have harmed the network’s credibility, and those lapses are why many conservatives are watching closely. The controversy around an edited interview on 60 Minutes damaged trust and offered a clear example of how sloppy editing or ginned-up narratives can create problems. A leader who insists on clearer standards and fewer shortcuts could rebuild confidence among skeptical viewers on the right and center.
Conservatives generally welcome competitive media markets where audiences can choose outlets that actually try to serve the truth rather than protect a political agenda. If Weiss recruits diverse voices and demands stronger reporting, CBS could win back viewers who left because they felt the network favored one side. That would be good for the marketplace of ideas and for the public’s ability to get fairer, tougher coverage.
Expect pushback from those who prospered under the old arrangements; change always angers entrenched interests. But constructive disruption can also force an overdue correction when leadership has allowed bias or sloppy practices to take root. For conservatives watching Washington and the media, a more balanced CBS would be a welcome development and a sign that at least some outlets are willing to answer to the public rather than to internal consensus.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
Add comment