CBS News on Monday tapped the former head of a conservative think tank as ombudsman to help monitor bias at the beleaguered network.
Kenneth Weinstein, 63, who was the CEO and president of the Washington, DC-based Hudson Institute from 2011 to 2020, will report to Jeff Shell, the president of CBS-parent Paramount Skydance, the company said.
Weinstein “will serve as an independent, internal advocate for journalistic integrity and transparency, reviewing concerns raised by employees and viewers, addressing questions about news coverage, and upholding the organization’s longstanding commitment to accuracy and accountability,” the network said in a statement.
The company added that Weinstein will investigate any concerns raised by CBS News employees or outsiders that have complaints, and if he determines it requires action, he will bring those grievances to Shell and CBS boss George Cheeks.
The trio will work with CBS News president and executive editor Tom Cibrowski — “who will recommend and implement any necessary action steps.”
The Post reported last month that the David Ellison-run Skydance Paramount would pay the new ombudsman the princely sum of $250,000 a year for just one day of work a month.
The position is part of a settlement agreement with President Trump’s media regulator, the Federal Communications Commission helmed by Brendan Carr, which investigated whether the network’s Democrat-friendly political tilt violated FCC “public interest” guidelines.
The probe centered on a controversial “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris during the 2024 election that Trump and many conservatives believed was edited to make Harris sound more coherent.
The network denied any wrongdoing, but ultimately settled the lawsuit for $16 million — and an addition $20 million in pro-MAGA public service ads, Trump has said.
At the time, CBS said it settled the suit over concerns legal discovery would lead to questions about the editing of an interview with President Biden that ran in October 2023, more than six months before he dropped out of the race over questions about his stamina and mental agility.
“We look forward to welcoming Ken as our new Ombudsman,” Shell said in a statement. “At a time when trust in media is more important than ever, this new role reinforces our commitment to truth, trust, and accountability. I’ve known him for many years and have great respect for his integrity, sound judgment, and thoughtful approach to complex issues. Ken brings not only a wealth of advisory experience in media and beyond but also a calm, measured perspective that makes him exceptionally well-suited to serve as our Ombudsman.”
Currently the Japan Chair at the Hudson Institute, Weinstein previously chaired the Broadcasting Board of Governors (now the United States Agency for Global Media) from 2017 to 2020. Shell held that role from 2013 to 2015.
“I am honored to serve as Ombudsman for CBS News, one of the most respected journalistic institutions in the world,” Weinstein added. “I look forward to supporting the talented team behind its reporting and to stewarding public trust in this critical institution.”
The Hudson Institute, which describes itself as a nonpartisan, independent policy research organization, was founded in 1961 by physicist Herman Kahn and the RAND Corporation.
