She Swore Off Legacy Media. Now She's Running CBS News.

Summary of She Swore Off Legacy Media. Now She's Running CBS News.

by The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

18m•October 8, 2025
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Summary — "She Swore Off Legacy Media. Now She's Running CBS News"

The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

Overview

This episode profiles newly appointed CBS News leader Barry (Bari) Weiss, tracing her journey from Jewish-focused publications to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, then to founding The Free Press (via Substack) — and ultimately landing the top job at CBS News amid corporate turmoil (lawsuits and a potential Paramount sale). The conversation also sketches Weiss’s personality, journalistic style, and the business performance of her independent outlet.

Key points & main takeaways

  • Background and reputation

    • Barry Weiss worked at Jewish-focused outlets, then as op‑ed and book review editor at The Wall Street Journal, and joined The New York Times Opinion section in 2017.
    • She left The Times in 2020 with a highly publicized resignation letter criticizing the paper’s disconnect from mainstream concerns.
    • After departing, she launched a Substack newsletter that evolved into The Free Press (a news + opinion site).

  • The Free Press: editorial stance and business

    • Known for a pro‑Israel stance and critiques of higher education and campus ideologies.
    • Produced high‑profile interviews (e.g., Amy Coney Barrett, Woody Allen, Teamsters president Sean O’Brien).
    • Audience/business metrics: over 1 million subscribers, around 175,000 paid subscribers, and reported revenue approaching ~$20 million — indicating a viable direct‑to‑reader business model.

  • Personality and leadership traits

    • Described as smart, disarmingly charming, measured rather than bombastic; effective in meetings and able to make ideas land without theatrics.
    • The host emphasizes she “knows how to work a room” and isn’t hyperbolic.

  • CBS corporate context

    • Weiss’s hiring occurred while CBS News/parent Paramount was entangled in legal battles and a possible acquisition bid by Skydance CEO David Ellison.
    • These corporate complications helped create an opening for leadership change.

Notable quotes / insights

  • From Weiss’s resignation letter (quoted): “The paper of record is more and more the record of those living in a distant galaxy, one whose concerns are profoundly removed from the lives of most people.” — a pivotal line that propelled her into public prominence.
  • Characterization of Weiss: “She’s super smart, but she’s also disarmingly charming… She knows how to work a room.”

Topics discussed

  • Barry Weiss’s career arc (WSJ → NYT → Substack/The Free Press → CBS News)
  • The impact and tone of her NYT resignation
  • The editorial identity and focus areas of The Free Press (Israel coverage, higher education criticism)
  • High‑profile interviews conducted by Weiss
  • The Free Press’s business performance (subscribers, revenue)
  • CBS/Paramount legal and merger issues affecting leadership moves
  • Media industry dynamics: legacy outlets vs. independent direct‑to‑reader models

Action items / recommendations (for listeners, media watchers, journalists)

  • For media watchers: Monitor how Weiss’s editorial priorities influence CBS News’s programming, sourcing, and audience positioning — especially on polarizing beats (foreign policy, education).
  • For CBS stakeholders: Track integration of new leadership with existing newsroom culture and legal/merger developments that could constrain or empower strategic moves.
  • For independent journalists/editors: Study The Free Press as a case study in building a paid subscriber base and diversified revenue outside legacy media.
  • For general audiences: If you follow media coverage of Israel, higher education, or culture wars, expect shifts in tone and coverage emphasis under Weiss’s leadership.

Bottom line

Barry Weiss is a high‑profile, sometimes controversial figure who parlayed a public exit from a legacy institution into a successful independent media venture — and now takes on leadership at a major broadcast news organization during a moment of corporate upheaval. Her appointment may shift editorial tone at CBS News and serves as an example of how independent platforms can translate into traditional media leadership.