CBS Stuns Audience, Hires Former Trump Official

Mainstream media figures are no doubt outraged by CBS News’ decision to hire a former Trump official who will exercise greater editorial control over the outlet’s news reports.

The decision to hire Kenneth R. Weinstein, the former head of a conservative Washington think tank, reportedly came at the direction of Paramount executives eager to see CBS turn over a new chapter in its coverage of the second Trump administration. Weinstein’s hiring comes after the Federal Communications Commission and its pro-Trump chair, Brendan Carr, approved an $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance.

Top of Weinstein’s priority list will be to rein in the liberal excesses evident at programs like “60 Minutes,” which was sued by President Donald Trump last year amid allegations it deceptively edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris to make it more favorable. CBS eventually settled with Trump for $16 million.

Paramount announced on Monday that “complaints from consumers, employees and others” will fall to Weinstein, who will determine if further editorial guidance or edits are necessary.

Weinstein, who led the Hudson Institute, will report to Jeff Shell, president of Paramount under new owner and CEO David Ellison.

Weinstein and Shell will work with a small group to address viewer complaints, including CBS President and CEO George Cheeks and CBS News Executive Editor Tom Cibrowski.

As part of its merger application, Skydance and its owners, the family of billionaire Larry Ellison, promised the FCC it would enforce “viewpoint diversity, nondiscrimination and enhanced localism” at CBS News.

“Americans no longer trust the legacy national news media to report fully, accurately, and fairly. It is time for a change,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement at the time of the approval. “That is why I welcome Skydance’s commitment to make significant changes at the once storied CBS broadcast network.”

Weinstein has a long history in Washington, D.C. circles. He was nominated by former President George W. Bush in 2006 to serve on the National Council for the Humanities, the board which oversees the National Endowment for the Humanities.

But his appeal is bipartisan, too; in 2013, he was nominated by former President Barack Obama to serve on the Broadcasting Board of Governors, now named the now the U.S. Agency for Global Media and which oversees the Voice of America and other government broadcasting services.

In September 2018 Weinstein was appointed to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations by President Trump.

Under Weinstein’s purview will also fall an interview that “Face the Nation” held with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who complained that producers edited her answers about Kilmar Abrego Garcia to make the illegal immigrant appear more sympathetic.

“I’ve known [Weinstein] for many years and have respect for his integrity, sound judgment and thoughtful approach to complex issues,” Shell said in a statement to the LA Times. “Ken brings not only a wealth of experience in media and beyond but also a calm measured perspective that makes him exceptionally well-suited to serve as our Ombudsman.”