Friend,

It’s official: Paramount/Skydance has acquired Bari Weiss’ right-leaning opinion outlet The Free Press — and installed Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News. Weiss, who has zero experience in broadcast journalism, will now shape one of the nation’s most trusted newsrooms under the control of billionaire CEO David Ellison — a close Trump ally.

This is a stunning turn for a network that was once home to Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite. And it’s a warning sign for anyone who believes journalism should serve the public, not the powerful.

In case you aren’t familiar, The Free Press was founded in 2021 and while Weiss borrowed our name, the two organizations could not be more different. Where we stand firmly behind the First Amendment, The Free Press has attacked reporters for challenging the Trump administration and cheered for crackdowns on pro-Palestine student protesters. Where we believe in the bright future of a multiracial democracy, The Free Press frequently condemns inclusivity and slams anything it regards as “woke.”

Where we rely on support from people like you to take action with us and sustain our work, The Free Press is deeply embedded in the billionaire-backed right-wing media ecosystem. We cannot be bought, and The Free Press couldn’t sell out fast enough.

This is exactly why Free Press exists — to expose and resist the billionaire capture of our media system, defend journalists’ independence, and demand real accountability from the FCC and Congress. Will you make your first gift to Free Press today to fuel our urgent fight?

Paramount has been heading down this dark path for some time. It first announced its intention to merge with Skydance in July 2024. But FCC Chairman Brendan Carr withheld his approval until after Paramount settled a bogus lawsuit Trump brought against CBS News over 60 Minutes' editing of an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

CBS journalists are already in open revolt, and for good reason: The Trump administration has established a clear pattern of meddling in coverage, rewarding friendly outlets and punishing dissenters.

Free Press is stepping up to confront these threats head on. We’re:

• Pressuring Congress to investigate political interference in media mergers.
• Challenging Brendan Carr’s efforts to punish news outlets that don’t toe the Trump line.
• Mobilizing journalists and the public to defend newsrooms’ independence.
• Exposing corporate cowardice through our Media Capitulation Index.

This fight isn’t abstract — it’s about protecting journalists’ right to hold Trump and other powerful figures accountable.

If you believe democracy needs independent media to survive, we need your support more than ever. Make your very first gift now — every dollar sustains our critical work.

Thank you for your support,

Candace and the rest of us at Free Press

P.S. Paramount/Skydance just bought the right-leaning outlet The Free Press and handed founder Bari Weiss the reins at CBS News — deepening the Trump-era campaign to silence and reshape the media. Help us protect independent journalism and fight corporate capitulation: Rush a gift now.