Bari Weiss Lecture Canceled Amid Network “Chaos”

A scheduled lecture on the “future of journalism” by Bari Weiss, the Editor-in-Chief of CBS News, was officially canceled on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The event, part of UCLA’s prestigious Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture series, was slated for February 27 at Schoenberg Hall but was scrapped following intense student protests and mounting internal strife at CBS.

While UCLA cited security concerns as the primary reason for the cancellation, university officials noted that Weiss is still considering delivering the talk via Zoom. The decision follows a week of high-profile departures and allegations of political censorship that have rocked the network.

CBS News Under Fire: A Timeline of Recent Crises

The cancellation of Weiss’s talk comes as CBS News faces its most turbulent period in years. Since her appointment in October 2025, several controversies have plagued her leadership:

• Anderson Cooper’s Exit: On Monday, February 16, the veteran journalist announced he would not renew his contract with 60 Minutes, ending a 20-year run. While Cooper officially cited a desire to focus on family, reports suggest his departure was fueled by unease over the network’s editorial shift under Weiss.
• The “El Salvador” Spiking: Weiss faced fierce internal backlash after she delayed a 60 Minutes segment by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi regarding an El Salvadoran “megaprison.” Alfonsi accused Weiss of making a “political” decision to avoid upsetting the Trump administration, as the prison held Venezuelan deportees.
• The “Equal Time” Controversy: Late-night host Stephen Colbert accused CBS of censorship this week after the network blocked an interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico. CBS claimed the block was due to FCC “equal time” rules, which Colbert slammed as “flinching” in the face of political pressure.
• Staff “Bloodbath”: In mid-February, at least 11 producers for CBS Evening News accepted voluntary buyouts, following roughly 100 layoffs in October. Reports indicate an additional 15% staff cut is looming as Weiss attempts to make the network “fit for purpose” in the current political climate.

Protests and Public Reaction

The grassroots organization CODEPINK led the campaign to cancel the UCLA event, labeling Weiss’s appearance “shameful” and accusing her of being a “mouthpiece for the White House.”

“Weiss has created a career writing opinions that hold no journalistic integrity… our academic institutions must stop platforming someone who is dismantling a ‘Gold Standard’ reputation for political quiet.” — Excerpt from CODEPINK Statement

On social media, the irony of an editor-in-chief speaking on the “future of journalism” while overseeing record layoffs and correspondent exits was widely mocked. One viral post noted that the lecture should have been titled “The Funeral March of Journalism.”

Key Figures in the CBS Conflict