John Oliver on why Barry Weiss taking over CBS News is ‘troubling’

As CBS News undergoes a regime change under new Paramount ownership, John Oliver is wary of the new hire.

With David Ellison taking over and Barry Weiss later being appointed editor-in-chief of CBS News, the comedian used the Sunday program. Last week tonight To call out her questionable editorial background in New York Times and its own outlet, The Free Press, as well as its outspoken stance against DEI.

“The truth is we wouldn’t have written this story if Barry Weiss had not been named editor-in-chief of CBS News, and this feels different,” he noted at the end of Sunday’s episode. “Because there are so many media outlets that are heavy on opinions, from left to right, and with low to high editorial standards.

“This program is, among other things, an opinion outlet, and while our staff works hard to research stories before we write something and aggressively fact-check our facts afterward. We’re also not the news, and I wouldn’t want anyone leading a pure opinion outlet, not even someone I happen to agree with, to suddenly run CBS News.”

“But it is particularly troubling that someone would do this after having spent years presenting work that, in my view, is at best irresponsible and, at worst, deeply misleading,” Oliver added.

Pointing to the fact that Ellison is also preparing a show for CNN and HBO as part of a potential merger with Warner Bros. Discovery is “not ideal” for his own show, Oliver added: “Although I have to say, if what he likes about Barry is that she forces him to have difficult conversations, to feel a little bit uncomfortable, maybe he’ll like this.”

Paramount has bought The Free Press, naming its founder the new president of CBS News, Deadline reported last week.