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Facing a wave of critical press even before she officially started her role, CBS News leader Bari Weiss turned to an experienced executive for guidance in shifting from a digital powerhouse to the helm of a major network news division.
Insiders reveal to Page Six Hollywood that Weiss reached out to Jeff Zucker for his insights.
Weiss and Zucker share a long-standing friendship, and the former president of CNN Worldwide was among the first to congratulate her after she sold her independent media venture, The Free Press, to Paramount Skydance for a hefty $150 million in October, subsequently stepping into the leadership role at CBS News.
“He was eager to be involved, and she definitely sought his advice,” shares a source familiar with their discussions.
(Their connection runs deep, as Zucker’s son has contributed as a freelancer for The Free Press.)
Paramount Skydance and CBS News declined comment. A rep for Zucker did not respond to a request for comment.
Ironically, the legion of media reporters most gunning for Weiss have been some of the most vocal Zucker fans over the years. Having Zucker in a formal position likely would have buffered Weiss from the relentless barrage of media critiques, but the executive with single-name recognition also would pose a third rail for Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison as he seeks government approval for his acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Zucker, who also was the former CEO of NBCUniversal as well as the executive producer of “Today,” helped pave the way for the Donald Trump presidency by platforming the real estate mogul to the masses as the centerpiece of “The Apprentice.” But Zucker eventually became one of Trump’s biggest nemeses while running CNN.
“David doesn’t want big personalities that are ego driven, that have their own agendas,” says another source about the Zucker prospect. “Look at the team he has built. There’s none of that. He wants to bring people together who blend well. Bari blends well.”
That may come as a disappointment to those on the media beat, who have been merciless in their coverage of the Weiss reign. They have pointed to her alleged ideological bias, framed viewership as falling precipitously and derided her management style. (Page Six Hollywood, admittedly, has gotten in on the act briefly by poking fun at a CBS News chyron mishap and posting audio of Weiss addressing laid-off staffers, many who found her words less than comforting.)
But Weiss also has done some things right that are rarely highlighted in the press.
She kept Oprah Winfrey‘s BFF Gayle King in the morning lineup and got the star anchor to “buy in” for the future direction and vision for the network, says a Weiss supporter inside CBS. Among other wins, she poached journo and author Matt Gutman from ABC News, and he has secured exclusive interviews, including a sitdown with Renee Good’s family after the protestor was killed by an ICE agent.
Weiss also brought on national security analyst Aaron MacLean right after the Iran military conflict broke out. His “School of War” podcast under CBS News has seen strong subscriber growth as a result. Other notable contributors added in recent months include Arthur Brooks, Roger Carstens and former U.S. National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster.
CBS News was the only network to interview defense secretary Pete Hegseth — both after U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela (“Evening News”) and post-Iran war (“60 Minutes”). While the Weiss haters broke into collective eyerolls over the Hegseth gets because of the Pentagon’s new, draconian press policy, every network continues to cover the Hegseth’s briefings on Iran live.
But a CBS News insider contends Weiss won’t listen to anyone but her most loyal lieutenants. “She’s surrounded herself with sycophants, and it’s not helping her cause,” says the insider.
As for “CBS Evening News” ratings, they’ve declined year over year. And maybe Zucker could have helped reverse the downturn with some of his noted P.T. Barnum sensibility. (Remember Zucker’s obsession at CNN with Carnival’s 2013 “Poop Cruise?” Or the missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370 in 2014?)
Regardless, “CBS Evening News” was already heading south well before Weiss tapped Tony Dokoupil to replace John Dickerson and Marcus DuBois — and he has delivered exclusive interviews with President Trump, Hegseth and Tom Homan after the latter took over DHS/ICE operations in Minneapolis.
Ultimately, Weiss is playing to an audience of one, and that’s Ellison. Sources familiar with their dynamic say he’s thrilled with the job she’s doing.
“He has no issues with Bari. He thinks you’ve got to break glass and that the news media coming after her is crazy,” says the source.