NEWSCBS News Drama: Network Chief Bari Weiss and President Branded 'Odd Couple' as Ratings Continue to Plummet
Bari Weiss took over as editor-in-chief in October 2025.
April 13 2026, Published 3:08 p.m. ET
Employees at CBS News believe editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and the network's president, Tom Cibrowski, aren't on the same page when it comes to the brand's future, a new report claimed.
While Cibrowski, a veteran TV producer known for his work at ABC's Good Morning America, has attempted to up ratings "with softer coverage" geared toward Middle America, Weiss, an opinion journalist who co-founded the news site The Free Press, took over last fall with the plan to reimplement hard-hitting news.
"They are an odd couple to me," one CBS staffer told an outlet. "There doesn’t seem to be a lot of synergies between them."
Bari Weiss and Tom Cibrowski are reportedly at odds.
Another insider said Cibrowski, 47, is "trying to fix the shows" but that all major decisions need to go through Weiss, 42, who is allegedly on her "own timeline."
"Tom is profoundly frustrated," a third source dished. "He has no power."
However, someone else added that Cibrowski has a "dim view of the American people" and is of the belief they want "zero substance," when in actuality, they are "demanding information."
"CBS News is becoming ABC News lite," another source said.
Tony Dokoupil kicked off his tenure as the new evening news anchor on January 5.
According to the New York Post, ratings for CBS Evening News, anchored by Tony Dokoupil, plunged below 4 million twice in mid-March.
While the show’s ratings picked up to 4.1 million by the end of the month, the figures are still down 7 percent from last year.
Meanwhile, CBS Mornings averaged just under 1.8 million viewers by the end of the quarter on March 31, marking a 13 percent decrease compared to last year.
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The network is still in search of someone to replace Tony Dokoupil's chair on 'CBS Mornings.'
Sources noted that it's taking too long to replace Dokoupil's spot on CBS Mornings, which is co-hosted by Gayle King and Nate Burleson, following his promotion to anchor the evening news in January.
The network reportedly had planned on trying out former CBS News anchor and Good Morning America alum Josh Elliott, but "talks fell through" when his contentious divorce from ABC anchor Liz Cho made headlines.
"CBS didn’t develop a bench and everyone else is under contract at another network," a former network exec said.
Ratings are down compared to last year.
A CBS News spokesperson responded to The Post's report about Weiss and Cibrowski being at odds, slamming the claim.
"Bari makes editorial decisions, is standing up new projects, and oversees the organization’s transformation. Tom leads business operations and is working closely with the Morning Show," they said. "That’s not 'odd.' That’s how successful leaders work together."
Another source close to the network described their visions as "complementary," adding that Cibrowski is taking "some ingredients of ABC" and combining them with Weiss' "fresh perspective."
