Bari Weiss, the former New York Times journalist, Free Press founder, and newly-minted editor-in-chief of CBS News, sent her first memo to CBS staff on Monday morning.
Weiss’s appointment has ruffled the feathers of many progressives who view her as agent of the right. On Monday, Weiss sought to dispel concerns and articulate the principles that would animate her leadership.
The memo reads, in full:
Dear Colleagues:
I am thrilled and humbled to be writing to you as the new editor-in-chief of CBS News.
Growing up, CBS was a deep family tradition. Whenever I hear that tick, tick, tick or that trumpet fanfare, it sends me right back to our den in Pittsburgh. The opportunity to build on that legacy with you—and to renew it in an era that so desperately needs it—is an extraordinary privilege.
Right now, I imagine you have some questions. I do, too.
My goal in the coming days and weeks is to get to know you. I want to hear from you about what’s working, what isn’t, and your thoughts on how we an make CBS News the most trusted news organization in America and the world. I’ll approach it the way any reporter would—with an open mind, a fresh notebook, and an urgent deadline.
What I can tell you on day one is that I stand for the same core journalistic values that have defined this profession sine the beginning, and I will continued to champion them alongside you:
- Journalism that reports on the world as it actually is.
- Journalism that is fair, fearless, and factual.
- Journalism that respects our audience enough to tell the truth plainly—wherever it leads.
- Journalism that makes sense of a noisy, confusing world.
- Journalism that explains things clearly, without pretension or jargon.
- Journalism that holds both American political parties to equal scrutiny.
- Journalism that embraces a wide spectrum of views and voices so that the audience can contend with the best arguments on all sides of a debate.
- Journalism that rushes toward the most interesting and important stories, regardless of their unpopularity.
- Journalism that uses all of the tools of the digital era.
- Journalism that understands that the best way to serve America is to endeavor to present the public with the facts, first and foremost.
I look forward to meeting many of you in the days ahead and to listening and learning from you. I am profoundly honored to join you—and I can’t wait to get started.
With gratitude and excitement,
Bari
The post READ: Bari Weiss’s Opening Memo to CBS Staff first appeared on Mediaite.
