Paramount Nears $200M Deal to Acquire Bari Weiss’ The Free Press

Paramount Skydance (PSKY) is in advanced talks to acquire The Free Press, the news platform founded by former New York Times journalist Bari Weiss, in a deal valued between $100 million and $200 million. Weiss, who left the NYT citing an "illiberal environment," is expected to assume a senior editorial role at CBS News—a MOVE already stirring internal dissent.

The potential acquisition follows Paramount Global's recent $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, marking the end of Redstone family dominance. The Free Press, launched in 2022, has gained traction through its subscriber-driven model and contrarian commentary, featuring voices like Elon Musk and Senator Ted Cruz on Weiss’ podcast "Honestly."

Editorial tensions loom as CBS News staff question the alignment of Weiss’ unorthodox approach with the network’s established direction. The deal underscores Paramount’s aggressive push into opinion-driven media amid shifting audience preferences.