Sir Trevor Phillips is defending Bari Weiss’ vision for CBS News, arguing the network’s new editor-in-chief is building a more “heterodox” newsroom rather than an “anti-woke” one as she reshapes one of television’s most recognizable news organizations.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Phillips — who recently joined CBS News as “60 Minutes” and senior global affairs correspondent after leaving Sky News — pushed back on criticism surrounding Weiss’ leadership, saying the narrative around her tenure has missed the point.
“In the U.S., the controversy has been framed as, ‘CBS News is becoming anti-woke,’” Phillips said. “But that’s not what Bari is about.” Instead, he said, Weiss believes the media should be “heterodox” and feature “a variety of voices.”
Phillips also acknowledged the scale of Weiss’ challenge as she seeks to remake the storied news division.
“Bari and her team have a huge tanker of a network news organisation to turn around, and they are assembling a little team on the bridge,” he said. “The great thing about her is that she’s one of those people who will either change the world or crash and burn. But when they crash and burn, it’s in technicolour.”
Weiss has overseen sweeping changes at CBS News since taking the helm, including high-profile editorial and personnel moves that have sparked debate over the network’s direction. Her leadership has drawn criticism from some current and former CBS journalists, while supporters argue she’s broadening the range of viewpoints represented in the newsroom. Phillips’ comments amount to one of the clearest public defenses yet from a journalist recruited during her tenure.
The veteran broadcaster also suggested his own reporting philosophy aligns with Weiss’ vision, arguing television journalism has become too focused on personalities instead of reporting.
“Broadcast journalism has, to some extent, become the creature of entertainment,” Phillips remarked. “We need to return to the business of reporting… The story needs to come before the reporter.”
Phillips said that approach will shape his work at CBS, where he plans to interview political figures reshaping politics beyond the traditional left-right divide, including Nigel Farage, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and France’s Marine Le Pen.
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