CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss continues to make moves behind the scenes, with her latest recruitment efforts focused on ABC News correspondent Matt Gutman.
According to a report in Oliver Darcy’s Status newsletter, Weiss is eyeing Gutman for the role of CBS Evening News anchor. The 47-year-old author and reporter currently serves as ABC News’ Chief National Correspondent, appearing across various programs for the network.
Weiss has singled Gutman out as a possible face of CBS’ flagship show despite his lack of formal anchoring experience, per Status. However, the newsletter notes that, despite the surprising choice, the chances of Gutman jumping ship remain slim, as he is still under contract with ABC.
Insiders told Status that Weiss’ interest in Gutman may stem from his reporting on Israel, a subject close to her heart. In 2001, Gutman moved to Tel Aviv and worked for the Jerusalem Post, based in Israel, from 2001 to 2005, covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Gutman joined ABC News in 2008 and has served as a reporter on several shows, including ABC World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Nightline, and the network’s magazine show 20/20. However, his tenure at the network has also come with its share of controversy.
In January 2020, he was suspended for a month by ABC News for incorrectly reporting that all four of Kobe Bryant‘s children had died in the fatal 2020 Calabasas helicopter crash. He was again suspended for a short time in February 2021 after violating Disney’s COVID-19 policies by visiting a Los Angeles hospital without prior permission from ABC News management.
It was previously reported that Weiss has been “quietly canvassing” for a fresh face to helm the flagship program, with the show’s former anchor, Norah O’Donnell, and CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil among the names being considered for the position.
However, Weiss isn’t only looking internally. As previously reported, she has apparently sent out feelers to Fox News’ Bret Baier and CNN’s Anderson Cooper to jump over and head up CBS Evening News.
Current Evening News co-host John Dickerson announced he will be parting ways with CBS News at the end of the year. The shocking departure news came less than a year after Dickerson and Maurice DuBois began co-hosting Evening News in January.
CBS News’ parent company, Paramount, merged with David Ellison’s Skydance in August, and the CEO has been putting his stamp on the company. On October 6, Paramount Skydance acquired the publication The Free Press and named its co-founder, Weiss, as CBS News’ new editor-in-chief.
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