| Human Profile | |
| Birthday: | March 25, 1984 (age 41 years), Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Height: | 5'5" (165 cm) |
| Education: | Shady Side Academy (Diploma), Community Day School (Diploma) Columbia University (BA) |
| Subscribers: | 354K |
| Views: | 43,821,919 |
| YouTube Revenue: | $43.8K - $219.1K |
| Videos: | 719 |
| Channel Created: | December 2022 |
Overview
Bari Weiss is an American journalist, independent media founder, and Editor-in-Chief of CBS News, known for establishing The Free Press to challenge mainstream narratives and foster heterodox thought following her public resignation from The New York Times.
Latest News (Oct 12, 2025): Paramount acquired "The Free Press" website on October 6, 2025, appointing its founder, Bari Weiss, as the new editor-in-chief of CBS News. Additionally, "The Free Press" YouTube channel uploaded a video three days ago titled "He Spent 491 Days as a Hamas Hostage. This Is How He Survived," which has garnered 29K views.
The Unflinching Voice: Charting the Rise of The Free Press on YouTube
In the ever-evolving landscape of online media, a new and influential voice has emerged on YouTube, challenging established narratives and fostering a space for heterodox thought. This is the story of The Free Press, a media company founded by journalist Bari Weiss, and its journey from a humble newsletter to a significant player in the digital public square, now poised for an even greater impact under the umbrella of CBS News.
From Substack to the Mainstream: The Genesis of a Movement
The Free Press YouTube channel is the video arm of the media company born from a Substack newsletter initially titled "Common Sense," launched by Bari Weiss in January 2021. Weiss, a former opinion editor and writer for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, created the platform after her public resignation from the latter, citing a stifling intellectual environment. "Common Sense" was conceived as a home for fearless, independent journalism, dedicated to honesty and doggedness.
Born on March 25, 1984, Weiss's career has been marked by a willingness to engage in contentious debates and critique what she views as ideological conformity in mainstream institutions. This ethos directly fueled the creation of "Common Sense," which quickly gained traction for its incisive commentary on culture, politics, and current events. The initial focus was on long-form essays and articles that challenged prevailing orthodoxies on issues often deemed too sensitive for legacy media outlets.
A New Frontier: The Evolution of The Free Press's Video Content
With a growing subscriber base that reached over 1.5 million by October 2025, "Common Sense" rebranded as The Free Press in 2022, expanding into a full-fledged media company with podcasts and, crucially, a robust YouTube presence. The YouTube channel, which currently boasts over 349,000 subscribers, has become a central pillar of their multimedia strategy.
The channel's early content mirrored the newsletter's focus, often featuring video versions of articles and interviews. Over time, the content has evolved to include a diverse range of formats. Viewers can now find in-depth interviews with prominent figures like Woody Allen and Amy Coney Barrett, as well as panel discussions and debates on pressing societal issues. The channel also features investigative reports and documentary-style videos that align with The Free Press's mission to uncover stories ignored or misconstrued by other outlets. This evolution signifies a strategic move to leverage the visual and narrative power of video to reach a broader audience.
Fostering a Community of Dissent: Engaging the Audience
The Free Press has cultivated a dedicated following by positioning itself as a home for the "exhausted, self-silencing majority" who feel alienated by the polarized nature of mainstream media. Their audience engagement strategy on YouTube appears to center on the substance of their content rather than flashy gimmicks. By hosting debates and long-form interviews, they encourage viewers to engage with complex ideas from various perspectives.
The live-streaming of events and debates is a key strategy, allowing for real-time interaction and fostering a sense of community among viewers who share a desire for open discourse. While direct engagement in the comments section is not as prominent as with some other creators, the comment sections themselves are often vibrant spaces for debate and discussion, reflecting the channel's role as a catalyst for conversation. The content is designed to be thought-provoking, and the engagement often comes in the form of viewers sharing and discussing the ideas presented in the videos across other social media platforms.
Milestones and Momentum: Measuring the Impact
The most significant achievement for The Free Press has been its rapid growth and influence in the media landscape. The subscriber base of over 1.5 million across all platforms, with approximately 170,000 paying members, is a testament to the demand for their brand of journalism. The recent acquisition of The Free Press by Paramount for a reported $155 million and Bari Weiss's subsequent appointment as Editor-in-Chief of CBS News is a monumental milestone that validates their impact.
On YouTube, the channel's steady growth to over 349,000 subscribers and the high viewership on many of their in-depth interviews and investigative pieces demonstrate their success in translating their written content to a visual medium. While specific YouTube awards or formal recognitions are not publicly highlighted, the channel's ability to attract high-profile guests and generate significant discussion around its content serves as a clear indicator of its growing influence.
A Voice in the Mainstream: Impact and Influence
The Free Press, and by extension its YouTube channel, has had a palpable impact on the broader media and cultural conversation. By providing a platform for voices and perspectives often excluded from mainstream discourse, they have helped to shape and, in some cases, reframe public debate on a variety of issues. Their work has been described as a "contrarian, loosely conservative and ardently Zionist publication that views itself as a speaker of hard truths and protector of free discourse."
The channel has been at the forefront of covering controversial topics, including what they term "woke culture," and has been a vocal critic of perceived liberal bias in legacy media. This has drawn both praise from those who feel their views are unrepresented and criticism from those who view their work as reactionary. Regardless of one's perspective, it is undeniable that The Free Press has become an influential force, inspiring other independent media creators and demonstrating the viability of a subscription-based model for journalism that challenges the status quo.
The Next Chapter: Future Prospects Under a New Banner
With the acquisition by Paramount and Bari Weiss's new role at CBS News, the future of The Free Press YouTube channel is at a fascinating juncture. Weiss has stated that The Free Press will continue to operate as an independent brand with its own podcasts and live events. The infusion of resources and the platform afforded by Paramount and CBS News will likely lead to an expansion of their video production capabilities.
In a letter to her new colleagues at CBS News, Weiss expressed her goal to make the network "the most trusted news organization in America and the world." This suggests a desire to bring the core journalistic values of The Free Press to a much larger audience. It is plausible that the YouTube channel will play a significant role in this endeavor, potentially serving as a space for more experimental and in-depth content that complements the programming of a major news network. The coming months will reveal how this "closely watched lab experiment in the modern media era" will unfold and shape the future of both The Free Press and the broader landscape of news and commentary on YouTube.