CBS News turmoil under Bari Weiss sees controversial hires and ratings drop

Bari Weiss, appointed editor‑in‑chief of CBS News after Skydance’s takeover, has launched a hiring spree that includes New York Times columnist Ross Douthat as a correspondent for "60 Minutes" and former UK broadcaster Sir Trevor Phillips as senior global affairs correspondent. The moves come amid internal walkouts, firings and criticism of Weiss’s leadership, with Phillips’ past anti‑Muslim commentary drawing additional scrutiny.

Ratings for CBS programming have fallen sharply; "CBS Mornings" recorded its lowest‑ever weekly average of 1.59 million viewers, a 13 percent drop from the same period last year. Industry observers question whether the high‑profile hires will revive the network or lead to further setbacks.