The 2026 TV schedule has already seen the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show and the layoffs of many morning and evening news anchors. Now, CBS News may be facing another major behind-the-scenes shift, one that could affect some of the network’s biggest programs, including 60 Minutes, CBS Evening News and CBS Mornings. After months of internal tension, ratings pressure and talent changes, Paramount leadership is reportedly considering a new structure for Bari Weiss’ role at the news division.
According to a report from Puck, senior leaders at Paramount have had informal talks about changing Weiss’ mandate at CBS News, and eventually CNN, in a way that would give her less control over the company’s linear TV news products. The report comes as Paramount continues to move toward its planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which would place both CBS News and CNN under the same corporate roof. Journalist Dylan Byers writes:
Bari has endured her role as media punching bag with relative aplomb, refusing to betray exhaustion or vulnerability while seeming to plow ahead with her plans to overhaul the network. Meanwhile, [David] Ellison and the Paramount brass have afforded her ample leeway because they genuinely like her, endorse the editorial pivot, and, frankly, have far bigger priorities than the news division.
Puck also reported that the internal conversations point toward a possible narrowing of Weiss’ day-to-day power over CBS’s flagship news shows. Byers continues:
There are signs that the dynamics are starting to shift… Members of the senior leadership team have had informal discussions about changing Bari’s mandate at CBS News — and, eventually, CNN — in ways that would give her less control over the linear product.
The report stresses that no formal change has been announced. Paramount also pushed back publicly, with a spokesperson saying that Weiss has the full support of Paramount and of David Ellison, the editorial leader overseeing CBS News and 60 Minutes. Still, the fact that this conversation is reportedly happening at all adds another wrinkle to an already unsettled CBS News era.
CBS News Has Already Been Going Through A Lot Of Change
This latest report follows a stretch of significant movement around CBS News and 60 Minutes. Anderson Cooper recently signed off from 60 Minutes after more than two decades with the program, using part of his farewell to say he hopes the program’s core remains intact as it evolves. That comment landed with extra weight because 60 Minutes has been one of CBS News’ most closely watched shows amid the broader ownership and editorial changes.
Cooper’s exit already marked a significant loss for 60 Minutes, though his reasons were more practical than dramatic. The longtime anchor explained on 60 Minutes Overtime that balancing the CBS newsmagazine with his CNN work had become difficult, with much of his vacation time and weekends going toward 60 Minutes pieces. He also said his young children factored into the decision, noting that he wanted more time with them while they still wanted to spend that time with him.
The uncertainty around Weiss has also been tied to concerns about her lack of traditional television news management experience. Puck reported that one possible outcome would be for Weiss to focus more on digital growth and broad editorial influence while a more experienced TV executive handles the linear side of the business. That would include day-to-day control over CBS Evening News, CBS Mornings and 60 Minutes.
Weiss came to CBS News after Paramount acquired The Free Press, the digital media company she founded. Her arrival was framed as part of a broader push to reshape the network’s editorial identity. Still, that shift has also brought internal unease and a steady stream of media scrutiny.
For viewers, the biggest question is what any structural change would mean on screen. 60 Minutes is not just another CBS program, but is one of the most recognizable brands in TV news, and even small changes to its tone, story selection or leadership tend to draw attention. The same goes for CBS Evening News and CBS Mornings, both of which play major roles in how the network defines itself daily.
After months of CBS News turbulence, the possibility of Paramount adding a seasoned TV news executive over the linear operation feels like more than hallway gossip. It sounds like a company trying to figure out whether one person can steer a legacy broadcast division, a digital strategy and (eventually) a combined CBS-CNN future without the whole control room lighting up like a malfunctioning switchboard.
For now, we'll have to see what happens, but you can catch the long-running program at 7 p.m. ET on Sundays on CBS or stream it with a Paramount+ subscription.
