Paramount-Skydance seeks CBS News business counterpart for Bari Weiss

Paramount is looking for a business-side partner to work alongside CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, Axios reported on Tuesday.

The company is considering several news executives for the role, including NBCUniversal News Group Chair Cesar Conde, CNN Worldwide CEO Mark Thompson and former NBC News President Noah Oppenheim, the outlet said.

Axios noted that the search suggests that Weiss would manage editorial across both CBS and CNN if Paramount’s deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery gets approved.

The report comes as CBS News has faced intense scrutiny over a wave of recent firings at its storied newsmagazine, “60 Minutes.”

But while speculation has mounted about the future of Weiss at the network amid the turmoil, a source told Axios her position is safe and that she has also been involved in the search for her business counterpart.

The unnamed source told Axios, “She has the full confidence of David Ellison, who believes Bari has done a fantastic job as editor-in-chief.” Aol