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The recent appointment of journalist Bari Weiss as top editor of the CBS network highlights a wider trend in American media toward right-leaning stances. Paramount Skydance, that controls CBS, has also purchased Weiss's publication, the outlet she co-founded in 2021, for a reported $150 million.

A Contrarian Voice Assumes Leadership

Weiss has built her professional life as a moderate conservative critic of progressivism. Her publication describes itself as a contrarian, right-leaning and pro-Israel outlet that advocates for open debate and hard truths. Significantly, Weiss will answer to Paramount’s chief executive, the CEO, rather than the network's news chief.

Major Networks Shift Rightward

The move indicates a ongoing rightward drift among American news corporations. Her personal career path reflects a larger pendulum swing that has seen corporate media transition from supporters of the anti-Trump “resistance” to accommodating a new political order.

The past can seem like a different country: when Weiss stepped down from the the Times in 2020, US journalism was in the grip of intense activism, with left-leaning voices seeming to dominate in many spheres.

That year, Donald Trump occupied the White House, but his time in power and the murder of George Floyd sparked a wave of social justice movements that influenced media, corporate leadership, and college campuses. Organizations introduced diversity initiatives, professionals added pronouns in communications, and energy firms began making land acknowledgments.

A Critical Moment at the New York Times

During this backdrop, the New York Times ran an opinion piece by GOP lawmaker Tom Cotton calling for the use of military to restore order. Strong criticism and staff protests led to the resignation of the paper's top editor, James Bennet.

She was close with Bennet, left a month later. In a open statement, she claimed the Times of being ideologically constrictive and too responsive to leftwing Twitter mobs. She asserted that colleagues had viewed her as a pariah for her opinions.

Starting Small to Media Powerhouse

When she revealed plans to start a publication called Common Sense, some in media were skeptical, predicting it would serve a niche audience of unhappy moderates. However, in a short time later, the media landscape has changed dramatically.

• The former president has used national guard troops in US urban areas.
• Twitter, now X, under its owner, has become a far-right hub.
• Universities are cracking down on protests and firing faculty.
• Businesses have cut inclusion efforts.

Rather than a free-speech martyr, Weiss is now poised to be one of the most powerful executives in national media, with her startup alongside one of the oldest news brands in the United States.

Appeasing the Administration

Major media companies appear to be going to great lengths to satisfy the current government. Last year, the president sued CBS over a news program interview with the vice-president, arguing it was altered to favor her. While many saw the case as without merit, Paramount agreed to resolve it for millions.

Additional companies, including Google’s YouTube, Meta, ABC network, and the platform, have likewise resolved comparable lawsuits.

A New Era for US Media

Recent moves include CBS appointing a ex-administration figure as an ombudsman and Disney temporarily suspending a host's show after regulatory complaints.

US political and cultural climate have shifted sharply to the right, and media companies are showing themselves to be sensitive weathervanes rather than unshakable institutions.

Weiss, regardless of the validity of her ideologies, stands out as a shrewd operator in this new media environment.