CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is reportedly pursuing Fox News anchor Bret Baier to lead the CBS Evening News as part of a broad post-acquisition network overhaul, despite Baier’s lucrative contract securing him at Fox through 2028.
CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is reportedly targeting Fox News star Bret Baier as a potential new anchor for the flagship CBS Evening News, a high-stakes move that signals a major directional shift under the network’s new ownership.
Sources inside CBS News confirmed that Weiss has been “quietly canvassing” for a fresh face to lead the program as part of a significant network reconfiguration following media mogul David Ellison’s recent acquisition. This overhaul has already seen Weiss implement aggressive changes, including ordering staff to submit detailed memos outlining their roles ahead of expected layoffs and personally intervening in the network’s booking processes and coverage priorities.
Among external candidates, Baier’s name has been frequently floated. The Fox News mainstay is widely considered the network’s most polished Beltway anchor, but an immediate move remains improbable as his current contract, which reportedly earns him approximately $14 million a year, runs through 2028. Internal names like Norah O’Donnell and Tony Dokoupil are also reportedly still being considered for the prominent position.
Weiss’s pursuit of the Fox anchor is not her first attempt to lure talent under contract with the rival network. Early in her tenure, she reportedly tried to secure former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a Fox News contributor, for a panel discussion. That effort ultimately failed due to his exclusivity clause.
Neither a spokesperson for CBS nor Fox News offered comments on the speculation regarding Baier’s potential recruitment, leaving the network’s strategic direction under Weiss and Ellison a point of keen industry observation.
The move to target a high-value anchor like Baier suggests the new leadership is determined to aggressively reshape CBS News’s competitive identity.