Paramount Appoints Kenneth Weinstein as CBS News Ombudsman to Monitor Bias

The appointment will meet the requirement set by the Federal Communications Commission for approval of Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.

Paramount Global and Skydance logos, in this illustration. Dado Ruvic/Reuters

Paramount has appointed Kenneth Weinstein as the ombudsman for CBS News to monitor bias complaints, the company said on Sept. 8.

Weinstein is the former CEO and president of the Hudson Institute, and now serves as the think tank’s Japan chair. He was President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Japan during his first term (but was never confirmed).

In his new role as ombudsman, Weinstein will be responsible for reviewing “editorial questions and concerns from outside entities and employees,” according to a statement published by CBS News.

“I am honored to serve as ombudsman for CBS News, one of the most respected journalistic institutions in the world,” Weinstein said in the statement. “I look forward to supporting the talented team behind its reporting and to stewarding public trust in this critical institution.”

The appointment will meet the requirement set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in July for regulatory approval of Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, in its $8 billion merger deal with Skydance Media.

In a July 24 statement, the FCC said that Skydance committed to installing an ombudsman for at least two years who will report to the president of New Paramount and “evaluate complaints of bias.”

Paramount President Jeff Shell, whom Weinstein will report to, said that he looked forward to welcoming Weinstein and praised his “wealth of advisory experience in media and beyond.”

“At a time when trust in media is more important than ever, this new role reinforces our commitment to truth, trust, and accountability,” Shell stated. “I’ve known him for many years and have great respect for his integrity, sound judgment, and thoughtful approach to complex issues.”

In 2018, Weinstein was appointed by Trump to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. He also served as the chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, now known as the U.S. Agency for Global Media, between 2017 and 2020.

Paramount—the parent company to major broadcasting networks such as CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, and others—reached a settlement with Trump in July over a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Trump’s lawsuit alleged that CBS News edited the interview to benefit Harris in the election.

On July 23, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Paramount had paid $16 million to settle the lawsuit, adding that he anticipated another $20 million from the “new owners,” which he said would come in the form of “advertising, PSAs [public service announcements], or similar programming.”

The Epoch Times sought comment from Paramount but did not receive a response by publication time.