Paramount continues to be the proving ground for the Trump administration’s encroaching campaign against the press. The studio has already capitulated in the 60 Minutes lawsuit, canceled The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and vowed to end diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. And as a condition for its merger with Skydance, the new regime promised the Federal Communications Commission it would install an ombudsman at CBS News. This figure will “receive and evaluate any complaints of bias or other concerns.” Naturally, then, the right person to pursue questions of bias is the ex-CEO of a conservative think tank.
On Monday, Paramount announced the appointment of Kenneth R. Weinstein, the former as president and CEO of Hudson Institute, to the role. CBS News reports Weinstein “has served on multiple federal advisory boards spanning the last four U.S. administrations,” most recently as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors from 2017 until 2020. He’s also served as an adviser to Donald Trump, and was the president’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Japan in his first term. Reportedly an expert in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs, Weinstein has never held a job in journalism.
“We look forward to welcoming Ken as our new Ombudsman,” Paramount president Jeff 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.”
In his position as CBS News ombudsman, Weinstein will report directly to Shell. Any complaints deemed worthy of attention will be passed along to Shell and Paramount’s Chair of TV Media George Cheeks. Should the trio “collectively determine that such outreach is necessary, Weinstein, Shell, and Cheeks will address the complaint with the President and Executive Editor of CBS News, Tom Cibrowski, who will recommend and implement any necessary action steps,” per Variety.
While FCC chair and Trump appointee Brendan Carr has celebrated the installment of an ombudsman at CBS News, Anna Gomez, the sole Democrat on the FCC, has spoken out against it. “The job of this FCC-imposed ‘truth’ monitor must not be to judge whether independent reporting conforms to this Administration’s views and priorities,” Gomez posted to Twitter/X on Monday. “That’s a clear violation of the First Amendment and the law. Everyone should be watching their actions closely and urging CBS to find its courage by reclaiming the independence that made it a trusted voice in American journalism.”
The commitment for the ombudsman role is reportedly a period of two years. According to Deadline, Paramount declined to make Weinstein available for interviews regarding the new appointment. “I am honored to serve as Ombudsman for CBS News, one of the most respected journalistic institutions in the world,” Weinstein said in a statement. “I look forward to supporting the talented team behind its reporting and to stewarding public trust in this critical institution.”
