Bari Weiss has spent the past few years leading The Free Press, a scrappy online media start-up that was founded as a rebuke to traditional news organizations. Now, she is closing in on a leadership role at CBS News, the country’s quintessential traditional TV news organization.
The new owner of CBS News is weighing giving Ms. Weiss the job of editor in chief or co-president of the network, as part of a broader deal to buy The Free Press, according to two people with knowledge of the deal.
The people cautioned that the terms of a deal were not final. But even the consideration of Ms. Weiss for such a prominent role at CBS News is the strongest sign yet that the network’s new owner, David Ellison, intends to make major changes at the news organization. On Monday, the company announced that Kenneth R. Weinstein, a longtime proponent of conservative policies, would take a job focused on reviewing complaints about the network’s coverage.
Mr. Ellison, whose company Skydance merged with Paramount last month in an $8 billion deal, has been in talks to acquire The Free Press for over two months. Any deal is expected to put the price tag for The Free Press at over $100 million, its valuation in 2024, the two people said.
The total price, which is still being negotiated, depends in part on how long Ms. Weiss stays at Paramount. Some expect the value to exceed $150 million, paid with some cash and the remainder in stock.
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