Risky Business with Nate Silver and Maria Konnikova Good Call/Bad Call: Bari Weiss as CBS’s New Editor-in-Chief
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Oct 15, 2025 Paramount's $150 million acquisition of The Free Press raises eyebrows, especially with Bari Weiss as the new editor-in-chief of CBS. Nate and Maria debate Weiss's qualifications, the implications for media strategy, and the cultural shift at CBS. They tackle whether an opinion writer can run a newsroom and discuss the distinct skill sets needed for television versus print. With critiques from public figures and thoughts on ownership pressures, they ultimately weigh the decision as a good financial move but question Weiss's editorial suitability.
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Subscriptions Are Real Cashflow
- Subscription businesses can produce immediate, real cash flows that justify high purchase prices.
- Nate Silver argues The Free Press's paid base and revenue make a $150M valuation plausible.
Substack As A Market Gap Filler
- Substack filled a market gap for writers who felt constrained by mainstream newsroom groupthink.
- Nate says The Free Press captured readers who wanted criticism of 'woke' excesses absent elsewhere.
TV News Needs Different Skills
- Running a TV newsroom requires distinct skills from running a newsletter or opinion site.
- Maria Konnikova stresses CBS News needs people who understand television production and daily schedules.