CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is reportedly now exploring a potentially dramatic shift in the network’s flagship broadcast, quietly evaluating Fox News anchor Bret Baier — among others — to lead the CBS Evening News, according to network insiders.
Weiss, who assumed control following David Ellison’s acquisition of CBS, has been working aggressively to reshape the organization’s operations. She has reportedly required staff to submit detailed memos outlining their responsibilities ahead of anticipated layoffs and has taken a hands-on role in editorial decisions — including calling guests directly and weighing in on coverage priorities. Those priorities, sources said, include a high-profile role for her sister, Suzy Weiss, co-founder of the Free Press.
As part of her overhaul, Weiss has been “quietly canvassing” for a “fresh face” to anchor the Evening News. While internal contenders such as Norah O’Donnell and Tony Dokoupil remain possibilities, multiple colleagues say Weiss has floated Baier’s name as a preferred choice. Media reporter Oliver Darcy of Status wrote that such a move “signals where the network is headed under Ellison’s ownership.”
CBS declined to comment, and Fox News offered no response.
Baier, regarded as one of Fox’s most respected Beltway journalists, currently earns roughly $14 million annually and signed a contract extension in 2023 that runs through 2028. That agreement makes an immediate transition highly unlikely, Darcy noted.
Weiss’s interest in Baier follows earlier attempts to draw talent from Fox News. In recent weeks, she tried to secure former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — a contracted Fox contributor — for a panel discussion featuring other former secretaries of state. Because of his exclusivity agreement, Pompeo could not participate, and the event moved forward without him.
The outreach reflects Weiss’s broader effort to reposition CBS News — a shift that may test boundaries and expectations in an industry increasingly defined by its political alignments.
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