CBS News Studio Times Square in Manhattan, New York, United States of America, July 6, 2024.
Beata Zawrzel | Nurphoto | Getty images
Skydance Primordial said on Monday that he had agreed to acquire an online publication The Free Press, appointing his co-founder and CEO, Bari Weiss, as editor of CBS News.
The digital publication is coming, which was launched by Weiss in 2021, will be attached to CBS News. Paramount said on Monday that Free Press has 1.5 million subscribers, more than 170,000 of which are paid subscriptions.
Weiss founded the Free Press after having resigned from the New York Times opinion office in 2020.
“Weiss will shape editorial priorities, champion the fundamental values on all platforms and direct innovation in the way the organization reports and provides the news,” said Paramount in a press release.
The acquisition, for which Paramount Skydance would have paid $ 150 million, is the last in a series of strategic movements of the CEO David Ellison since the merger of Paramount and Skydance was completed in August.
It also comes like Paramount and CBS finds its way out of a political line of fire, following a regulation of $ 16 million with President Donald Trump during a “60 -minute” interview with the president of the time, Kamala Harris.
In the light of the trial, Paramount agreed to hire a mediator for CBS News in order to examine his work and investigate complaints of political prejudices. And shortly after the regulation, the long -awaited merger between Paramount and Skydance won the necessary federal approval.
In a staff memo on Monday, the CEO of Paramount Skydance, David Ellison, addressed the political environment in the United States – and how he was weighed on the media.
“I think we can all agree that the temperature of the social discourse of our country is higher than ever. Too often, the space formerly reserved for a thoughtful dialogue was consumed by the partisan division and hostile disputes,” said Ellison in the memo. “If we want to move forward, we must find our way to the ideals that have shaped both our country and the civilization itself: open exchange of ideas, vigorous but respectful debate and real respect for the beliefs and traditions of others.”
“This challenge extends to the media. Although it was founded with the mission of informing the public and promoting discussion on the questions of the day, it has too often become a platform that amplifies partisanary even by tearing our society,” said Ellison in memo.
Weiss, who will fall under Ellison, also sent a note to CBS News employees on Monday.
“My goal in the coming days and weeks is to know you. I want to hear your news on what is working, what is not and your reflections on how we can make CBS News the most reliable press organization in America and the world,” said Weiss in his memo. “I will approach him like any journalist would do – with an open mind, a new notebook and an urgent deadline.”
Paramount playbook
American producer David Ellison attended the first “Fountain of Youth” of Apple at the American Museum of Natural History in New York on May 19, 2025.
Charly Triballeau | AFP | Getty images
Shortly after Paramount Skydance closed its link and Ellison took the bar, the company announced a 7.7 billion dollars of seven years media rights to become the Exclusive House in the United States for the organization of mixed martial arts of the UFC of the TKO group from 2026.
More recently, the company has announced a long -term media rights agreement from 2026 with Zuffa Boxing, the new promotion formed by TKO and the Entertainment Conglomerate in Saudi Arabia SELA.
Paramount content slate was also a key to the recent business movements.
Ellison signed an agreement that obtained the rights to develop, produce and distribute a live feature film based on the Call of Duty video game franchise. He also concluded a three -year distribution agreement with Legendary. And, the company brings the creative team of Matt and Ross Duffer, better known as Duffer Brothers – the creators of the Hit “Stranger Things” of Netflix.
Paramount also works with an investment bank and explores an offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, CNBC previously reported.
In addition, Ellison has also made remarkable hires to her staff since the merger closes.
At the end of September, Paramount announced the appointment of Makan Delrahim, who was part of the court office who advised Skydance during the merger process, as legal director. Delrahim is also the former assistant prosecutor who supervised the antitrust division of the United States Ministry of Justice during the first administration of Trump, when Disney acquisition of Fox Corp. 21st Century Fox Assets was completed.
The company has also added Dennis Cinelli, who is currently CFO of Scale AI, as a administrator independent of its board of directors; And hired Dane Glasgow as product director. Glasgow had already worked at Meta, Google, Ebay and Microsoft.
Ellison said the emphasis would be on AI and technological progress for business streaming services, as well as in other parts of the company.