CBS News boss Bari Weiss eyes major shakeup at ’60 – Business News
The clock could also be ticking for high expertise at “60 Minutes”.
CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss is seeking to shake up the enduring TV information magazine — and casualties may embody any quantity of the show’s star anchors, The Post has realized.
The 41-year-old newshound was tapped this month to revive “balance” to the Tiffany Network’s information unit, in response to David Ellison, CEO of CBS proprietor Paramount Skydance — and insiders say she believes “60 Minutes” has drifted too far to the left, sources stated.
Bari Weiss, the community’s editor in chief, is seeking to shake up “60 Minutes” and CBS News, sources stated. Getty Images for The Free Press
Among Weiss’s rumored targets, in response to insiders, is Scott Pelley. The anchor slammed CBS’s then proprietor Paramount in an on-air tirade this summer season for inking a $16 million settlement with President Trump over allegations that “60 Minutes” “deceptively edited a Kamala Harris interview.
Likewise, Bill Whitaker, the correspondent who carried out the controversial Harris interview, might also be within the crosshairs after he was criticized for throwing softball questions and never vetting what was aired, sources stated.
“Bari isn’t wrong to try to bring in new people,” stated a CBS source, noting that Pelley and Whitaker are 68 and 74, respectively. “Most of the show’s correspondents and its viewers are geriatric.”
Nevertheless, insiders say the livid guessing recreation that has erupted over Weiss’s potential ax sharpening isn’t so easy.
Weiss is seeking to shake up the solid of “60 Minutes” and strengthen the community’s investigative reporting. CBS by way of Getty Images
For instance, 83-year-old Lesley Stahl — who final 12 months rebuffed President Trump’s demand that she apologize for dismissing The Post’s Hunter Biden laptop computer story — is alleged to be thought of as a “treasure” by Weiss and should keep her position for some time longer, regardless of retirement rumors, in response to a source.
Another major query mark is how Tanya Simon – who succeeded Bill Owens as “60 Minutes” government producer in a tumultuous, Trump-related reshuffle this summer season – will match into Weiss’s new regime, in response to insiders.
Simon — the daughter of late correspondent Bob Simon — seems to agree with Weiss that the show has “gone soft,” in response to a well-placed source. Before Weiss’s arrival, Simon already had been seeking to shuffle personnel to make the show “more hard hitting” and cut back on “soft entertainment pieces,” the source stated.
According to sources, “60 Minutes” government producer Tanya Simon has been annoyed with some of the softer items this season and is seeking to shake up the ranks. CBS by way of Getty Images
Neither Simon nor a rep for “60 Minutes” commented.
“’60 Minutes’ has become the headquarters of book and movie launches,” an insider informed The Post. “It is not the home of the investigative journalism of Mike Wallace anymore.”
“60 Minutes” has had some robust studies final 12 months, reminiscent of its Emmy Award-winning investigation on “Havana Syndrome.” But the the present season opened final month with a light-weight piece on Utah Gov. Spencer Cox calling for unity after Charlie Kirk’s homicide and a puffy sit-down with UFC head Dana White, the source griped.
Scott Pelley, who has been a vocal critic of his community and President Trump, could also be a goal of the show’s overhaul. WireImage
Lesley Stahl, who’s rumored to be heading for retirement quickly, is alleged to be a favourite of Weiss. 60 Minutes/YouTube
In a phase on Sunday, correspondent Cecilia Vega interviewed mentalist Oz Pearlman, who guessed the identify of Vega’s third-grade instructor.
“This reporting is afternoon cable fare,” a CBS source scoffed. “It is not ’60 Minutes’ caliber.”
The overhaul comes as Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski are mulling whether or not to purge massive names like “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King, whose eight-figure wage is difficult to justify for the third-place show. Meanwhile, the community is anticipated to announce major headcount reductions Wednesday.
“Big changes are coming,” stated a source with information of the matter.
“60 Minutes” veteran Bill Whitaker, whose interview with Kamala Harris was the subject of Trump’s lawsuit, has additionally been rumored to be a goal of a revamp. 60 Minutes / CBS
The individual added that Weiss is concentrated on bringing back hard-hitting investigations — long half of CBS News’ DNA. Weiss has reportedly reached out to former CBS News investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge, who famously clashed with the community’s bosses as she broke tales on Hunter Biden’s laptop computer.
“There’s not much of an investigative reporting unit anymore,” stated a CBS News exec. “The reality is ‘60 Minutes’ is the investigative arm of CBS News.”
On Monday, the community confirmed that “CBS Evening News” co-anchor John Dickerson – who sources say is incomes a couple million yearly – could be retiring at the tip of the 12 months. Insiders anticipate his co-host Maurice DuBois to observe go well with as Weiss and Cibrowski determine who could be best to anchor the show.
