The controversial transformation of CBS News under new Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss reached a fever pitch this week as the anti-woke firebrand publicly revealed the stunning list of potential hosts set to dominate the network’s 2026 talent roster, confirming a radical ideological shift that has sent shockwaves through the entire industry.

Weiss’s audacious strategy to reshape the perennially third-place network involves aggressively poaching high-profile conservative and anti-establishment figures from rival networks, effectively declaring war on CBS’s liberal legacy and risking total mutiny within the venerable news organization. The “revealed list” confirms the worst fears of many longtime staffers: CBS is actively courting becoming “Fox News lite.”

The Nuclear Roster: Fox News Stars Targeted

The focus of Weiss’s revolution is the flagship “CBS Evening News,” a broadcast once anchored by the legendary Walter Cronkite but which has struggled significantly in the ratings race. Internal reports confirmed that Weiss is intensely focused on bringing in a splashy external candidate to anchor the broadcast, and her target list is nothing short of a media bombshell:

Bret Baier (Fox News): The Fox News chief political anchor was reportedly approached for the role, despite being locked into a high-value contract until 2028.

Dana Perino (Fox News): Another prominent Fox News anchor and former George W. Bush spokesperson, Perino has also been named as a top target, though her contract reportedly extends into the next decade.

Anderson Cooper (CNN): Though not conservative, the CNN star and 60 Minutes correspondent is known for his massive profile, representing a serious attempt to bring in high-cost, A-list talent.

Shepard Smith (Former Fox News/CNBC): Known for his dramatic departure from Fox News, Smith represents a figure who left a conservative platform, but his inclusion is seen by many as part of Weiss’s larger effort to redefine the network’s political center.

By publicly pursuing these figures—particularly those with strong ties to conservative media—Weiss is not simply seeking new talent; she is signaling a fundamental shift in the editorial worldview of CBS News for 2026 and beyond.

Internal Mutiny and the ‘Fox News Lite’ Fear

The controversy surrounding this aggressive talent hunt is already boiling over inside CBS’s New York headquarters. Staffers have voiced extreme “unease” and “dissent” over the alleged ideological changes, with some veteran correspondents reportedly decrying a clear rightward tilt in coverage and tone.

One senior CBS News staffer, when asked about Weiss considering Dana Perino, reportedly responded to The Independent with a face-palm emoji, encapsulating the frustration and dismay felt by those who believe the network’s journalistic ethos is being sold off for ratings. Leaked internal communications revealed widespread staff concern, with one viral thread claiming, “Weiss is turning CBS into Fox News lite.”

Weiss has been unapologetic in her defense, stating in a Free Press podcast that “CBS has been captive to one worldview for too long—our audience deserves better.” Her mandate, backed by the network’s new leadership, is clearly to disrupt the media landscape by offering a counter-narrative to the prevailing liberal news consensus.

The Ratings Gamble: Disruption Pays Early Dividends

While the ideological firestorm continues to rage, Weiss’s controversial gambit may be paying off in the one metric that matters most to executives: ratings. Reports from The Los Angeles Times indicate that Nielsen data showed a 12% primetime uptick in November following Weiss’s installation, lending crucial justification to her disruptive agenda.

The public pursuit of big names and the promise of a more ideologically diverse (or conservative-leaning) news product has generated the exact kind of “buzz” the struggling network desperately needed. Whether this early ratings boost can sustain itself, or if the internal unrest will eventually sabotage the new regime, remains the central question hanging over the future of television news.