CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is reportedly seeking to recruit conservative commentator and CNN contributor Scott Jennings as part of an effort to reshape the network’s on-air talent lineup, as reported by the New York Post.
According to a report from Semafor, Weiss and Jennings met last week at CBS headquarters in New York to discuss a potential move.
The reported outreach comes at a time of major transition for CBS News, which is undergoing staff changes and preparing for a new editorial direction under Weiss.
The New York Post reported Monday that John Dickerson, co-anchor of the CBS Evening News, will be leaving the network at the end of the year. Dickerson will continue anchoring alongside Maurice DuBois until his departure, as CBS braces for a round of layoffs affecting the news division.
Jennings, a former special assistant to President George W. Bush and longtime adviser to Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has become a prominent conservative voice on CNN.
Known for his unapologetic defense of President Donald Trump during panel discussions, Jennings has built a loyal following among right-leaning viewers frustrated by CNN’s coverage.
As a contributor rather than a full-time employee, Jennings is free to explore opportunities with other outlets.
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A source familiar with the situation told Semafor that the meeting with Weiss was informal. CNN declined to comment, and requests for comment sent to Jennings and CBS News were not immediately returned.
Interest in Jennings appears to be growing beyond television. Earlier this year, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong reportedly contacted Jennings about joining his “LAT Next” media venture.
Weiss’s reported outreach to Jennings follows a series of moves suggesting that she intends to broaden CBS’s ideological range.
Just last week, the Status newsletter reported that Weiss had considered recruiting Fox News anchor Bret Baier, host of Special Report with Bret Baier, to anchor the CBS Evening News.
Baier remains under contract with Fox through 2028, and a network spokesperson declined to comment on the report.
Weiss, 41, joined CBS News earlier this year after Paramount’s Skydance division acquired her Free Press media venture for an estimated $150 million. Her mandate from the network’s leadership is to make CBS coverage more “balanced” and “fact-based,” according to internal sources.
Norah O’Donnell, who left CBS Evening News earlier this year, has met with Weiss about possibly returning to the anchor desk, The Post reported earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Gayle King’s future at CBS remains uncertain as her multimillion-dollar contract approaches its expiration next spring amid network cost-cutting.
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