Bari Weiss Faces Growing Questions as CBS News Ratings Slide

Bari Weiss was brought in to turn CBS News around. Now, according to a report by RadarOnline.com, declining audiences and staff departures have prompted questions inside the network about her leadership and future. Television insiders told the outlet that Weiss’s first year has been turbulent, with falling ratings for CBS Mornings, CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes. One source described her arrival as that of a “conquering hero” who promised to fix the network, then questioned whether the costly overhaul was delivering results. Another insider reportedly said Weiss does not listen to colleagues. The report points to the move of Tony Dokoupil from CBS Mornings to CBS Evening News as one flashpoint. Citing Variety, it says the evening broadcast’s audience fell below four million last March, down 15 percent from the same period a year earlier. It also says a 60 Minutes broadcast on October 11 drew 6.06 million viewers, including 767,000 adults aged 25 to 54, while CBS Mornings continued to trail its morning-show rivals. A network veteran told RadarOnline.com that the numbers had executives on edge, saying that when viewers disappear, people look for someone to blame. The account also describes friction between Weiss and veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl, following departures that reportedly included Anderson Cooper, Scott Pelley, Sharyn Alfonsi and producer Tanya Simon. Scott Pelley has publicly criticized Weiss’s qualifications and her handling of the newsmagazine, according to the article. It further reports that Paramount Skydance chief David Ellison backed Mark Thompson rather than Weiss to lead CNN after the merger. The claims and assessments in the report come from unnamed insiders and other sources; CBS’s ratings and staffing changes form the backdrop to the questions about Weiss’s position.