The Town with Matthew Belloni David Ellison’s $150M Bet on Bari Weiss and a New-Look CBS News
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Oct 7, 2025 
Ben Smith, co-founder of Semafor and former media columnist for the New York Times, joins to discuss David Ellison's $150M deal with Bari Weiss and its implications for CBS News. They dive into Weiss's background and appeal, debating whether her influence will shift CBS's coverage, particularly regarding Trump. The challenges of merging digital strategies with traditional television operations are explored, alongside prospects for centrist content and audience reactions. Will Weiss’s fresh approach revolutionize a legacy network? Tune in for insights!
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Big Bet On A Digital Star
- David Ellison paid $150M to buy Bari Weiss's Free Press and install her at CBS News despite her lack of TV news experience.
- The move signals a strategic bet on personality-driven digital audiences over traditional newsroom pedigrees.
CBS Is A Small Asset In A Bigger Deal
- CBS News is a tiny part of Paramount's business and not the primary reason Ellison bought the company.
- That creates flexibility for bold experiments but also signals it may be treated as a lower-priority asset.
The White House Shadow
- A persistent shadow will be whether the Ellisons made an implicit deal with the White House to go easy on the president.
- That perception will shape how every controversial CBS News story is received.