Glenn Greenwald on Bari Weiss's CBS Role and Media Ownership

Bari Weiss's New Role at CBS News

• 🎯 The announcement of Bari Weiss taking an editor-in-chief role at CBS News is analyzed, with the speaker questioning the perception of her as an "anti-establishment voice."
• 💡 The new ownership of CBS by the Ellison family, major donors to the IDF, is highlighted as a significant factor in this development.
• 📺 The broader media acquisitions by the Ellison family, including Paramount, CBS News, and potential interest in CNN, are discussed as part of a pattern of influence.

Analysis of Bari Weiss's Stance

• 🧠 Weiss's career is characterized by two main branding elements: anti-wokeism and devotion to the state of Israel.
• 🗣️ Her role in popularizing anti-wokeism is described as giving "permission" to parents to reject their children's progressive views, aligning with a backlash against social justice movements.
• 🇺🇸 Her strong support for Israel is presented as aligning with, rather than challenging, the bipartisan consensus and establishment orthodoxy in the US.

Media Influence and Ownership

• 💰 The significant investment in Weiss's publication, The Free Press, by wealthy individuals is seen as evidence of her alignment with establishment interests, not as a dissident figure.
• 📈 The speaker argues that Weiss's elevation to a prominent role at CBS News is not a triumph for new media but a strategic move by new owners to apply a more modern "brand" to traditional, pro-establishment values.
• 🌍 The acquisition of media platforms is framed as a deliberate effort by the Ellison family to influence public opinion, particularly regarding support for Israel, which is seen as declining, especially among young people.

Foreign Influence and Media Control

• ⚠️ The situation is described as a potential foreign influence operation led by the Ellison family, aiming to control communication channels that shape American thought.
• 📢 Israeli officials' open acknowledgment of social media and public opinion as "weapons of war" underscores the strategic importance of these media takeovers.
• 📉 The core mission is seen as an attempt to salvage dwindling public support for Israel by using figures like Weiss to present a less "stodgy" and more appealing facade for established political agendas.