Shockwaves are rattling the halls of CBS News as the network’s newest Editor-in-Chief, Bari Weiss, prepares to swing the axe and chart a daring new course for the legendary broadcaster. Sources inside the network say Weiss is set to unveil sweeping changes in a high-stakes all-hands meeting scheduled for late Tuesday morning—a move that is already making headlines and sending staffers scrambling.

Weiss, a high-profile former opinion writer for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, was personally tapped by Paramount’s recently installed top boss, David Ellison, last autumn. Her mission? Turn CBS News upside-down and restore its reputation amid rising pressure from critics, competitors, and its own audience.

But the shake-up hasn’t gone down easy. Newsroom insiders whisper of rising discontent, especially after Weiss reportedly took aim at longtime staples like ‘60 Minutes’ and ‘CBS Evening News’—shows that have been pillars for the news division for decades. Several staff at the network’s high-prestige programs are said to be fuming, while outside media voices are piling on, accusing Weiss of operating with a sledgehammer rather than a scalpel.

According to information obtained from three well-placed CBS sources, who requested anonymity to avoid professional repercussions, Weiss plans a dramatic pivot for the network. The new chief reportedly intends to trim down the staff significantly, cutting loose those who are not fully aligned with her vision of news coverage. At the same time, she has her eye on bringing about 18 fresh faces to CBS News in the form of paid commentators, promising to select only the most engaging and authoritative voices willing to sign on to her bold editorial approach.

Tensions are reportedly running high among CBS staffers, with some expressing anxiety over their job security and others frustrated by what they see as forced reinvention in a newsroom already under siege from declining ratings and digital disruption. Several current employees told reporters off the record that Weiss welcomes debate—so long as it stays behind closed doors. Public complaints, on the other hand, won’t be tolerated, say these insiders, citing Weiss’s warnings to her team.

In her whirlwind few months at the top, Weiss has ruffled feathers in virtually every corner of CBS News. Staffers at ’60 Minutes’—long considered the gold standard for television journalism—are believed to be particularly alienated by her management style and her willingness to question whether their reporting has lived up to the trust of the American public.

But that’s not all. Weiss is also said to be pressing fast-forward on a dramatic overhaul of the flagship ‘CBS Evening News,’ which has many reporters worried about the future identity of the program. Even more eyebrow-raising, she has openly challenged whether CBS journalists have been truly independent and balanced in their coverage—implying that hard questions will be asked as she works to reshape the network’s editorial DNA.

Inside the network, there is something of a split. Some staffers—including CBS national legal correspondent Jan Crawford—have publicly welcomed Weiss, citing her energy and willingness to stir up a stagnant status quo. Others, however, are bristling over her brash tactics and rapid-fire approach to transforming the venerable broadcaster.

The media world beyond CBS is not sitting idle either. Progressive critics outside the company have taken aim at Weiss, accusing her of acting on behalf of interests tied to former President Trump and CBS’s ownership group. These critics allege, without evidence, that Weiss’s ascent is connected to efforts by CBS’s parent company, Paramount, to curry favor with Trump as it looks to maneuver for influence in a possible takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Weiss has flatly rejected these claims, but declined to be interviewed for this story.

Weiss’s arrival at CBS News comes at a turbulent time for the network. Once considered the gold standard for American news, CBS has slipped behind competitors, currently placing third in the ratings battle among the major broadcast networks. Industry watchers say that Ellison’s choice of Weiss was a calculated gamble: bring in an outsider with a flair for commentary and strong editorial opinions, and let her shake loose the cobwebs that have accumulated as digital upstarts nibble at CBS’s once-dominant audience.

The plan? Weiss is betting big on a new breed of commentator. The roster, expected to number at least 18, will not be made up of the usual suspects. Instead, she wants contributors who are heavyweight thinkers and compelling communicators—personalities who can cut through the noise and speak to Americans across the spectrum, from center-left to center-right. This strategy is aimed at reestablishing CBS News as the go-to source for viewers who feel alienated by more polarized outlets.

Even as she faces internal skepticism, Weiss remains upbeat about her mission. She’s described the shake-up as a thrilling challenge and expressed excitement about making her mark on legacy TV news—even as she admits she’s still getting up to speed with the world of broadcast journalism.

While some at CBS fear that long-held traditions may be at risk, others believe that a reinvention is precisely what’s needed to save the news division from irrelevance. A former veteran correspondent told this reporter, “CBS has tried incremental tweaks for years and nothing has worked. Maybe what’s needed is a total overhaul.”

For now, a question mark hangs over those not fully signed up to the ‘Weiss Era’—will they survive the upcoming staff cuts? Which reporters will make the leap to commentators, and which household names could be headed for the exits? Anxiety is rising ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, with insiders bracing for what could be the most significant shake-up the network has faced in years.

Whatever happens, one thing is certain: with Bari Weiss at the helm, the old rules at CBS News are being thrown out the window. Will her gamble pay off, or will her dramatic overhaul leave the network reeling? For the nation’s most storied news organization, the next chapter is about to begin—with all eyes watching.