There could be a huge shakeup at Fox News’ primetime lineup… if CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss has her way.
Weiss is eyeing Fox News anchor Bret Baier to potentially helm CBS Evening News, according to multiple reports. Should Baier leave, it would certainly ripple through the rest of the Fox News daily lineup – and could cause a ratings shakeup.
Weiss has been quietly canvassing for a fresh face to anchor the struggling flagship show since taking charge of CBS News earlier this month. Sources told Oliver Darcy’s Status newsletter that Weiss has floated Baier as a potential candidate in conversations with network associates.
The Independent confirmed the report, with two sources saying Weiss has expressed interest in bringing the Fox News chief political anchor to CBS, most likely for the weeknight anchor spot.
However, any move appears unlikely in the near term. Baier extended his contract with Fox News in 2023 through 2028 and earns approximately $14 million annually. He would need Fox News executives Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch to release him from his contract to move to a rival network.
Baier is just one of several names Weiss has discussed with network executives and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski. Longtime CNN anchor Anderson Cooper is another top target. Cooper earns approximately $18 million annually and also serves as a correspondent for CBS News’ 60 Minutes.
Baier joined Fox News in 1998, initially serving as the network’s Atlanta bureau chief before becoming Pentagon correspondent in 2001. He became White House correspondent in 2007 and began substituting for Brit Hume on Special Report. Baier has anchored Special Report since January 2009.
Weiss took over as CBS News editor-in-chief after media mogul David Ellison’s acquisition of CBS and the purchase of Weiss’ digital outlet The Free Press for $150 million in early October.
CBS Evening News has struggled with ratings since making significant changes earlier this year. John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois took over as co-hosts after Norah O’Donnell stepped down in January 2025. The show shifted from traditional headline-focused news to a 60 Minutes-style magazine format with longer segments on specific topics.
The changes have not improved ratings. CBS Evening News now averages 4.1 million total viewers per episode, according to Nielsen, down from O’Donnell’s average of 4.8 million viewers.
Status reports that CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil is among internal candidates being considered for the position.
Weiss has been working to reconfigure operations at the network. She reportedly ordered staff to submit detailed memos outlining their roles ahead of expected layoffs and has personally intervened in the network’s booking process. She has also brought on ideological allies, including her close friend and former New York Times colleague Adam Rubenstein as deputy editor.
Weiss has also recently been in conversations with conservative journalist Catherine Herridge, the longtime Fox News reporter who was let go by CBS News last year, according