You’ve probably heard it a thousand times. One side of the family swears that CBS is a "liberal mouthpiece" while the other side thinks it’s becoming a "corporate conservative" machine. Honestly, trying to pin down a label like is CBS News liberal or conservative feels a bit like trying to grab smoke. It’s slippery.
The truth is way messier than a simple left-or-right sticker.
For decades, CBS was the "Tiffany Network." It was the home of Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite—the guys who basically invented the idea of the objective evening news. But in 2026, the media world is upside down. Between massive corporate mergers and the rise of high-profile, controversial editors, the old rules don't really apply anymore.
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The Big Shift: Bari Weiss and the New Era
If you want to understand the current "vibe" at CBS, you have to look at October 2025. That’s when the new owners, Skydance Media (led by David Ellison), made a move that sent shockwaves through the industry. They hired Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief.
Now, if you follow media drama, you know Bari Weiss. She’s the former New York Times writer who left because she felt the paper had become too "woke" and narrow-minded. She founded The Free Press, a startup built on the idea that mainstream media is too liberal.
So, when she took the reins at CBS News, people freaked out.
Critics on the left saw it as a hostile takeover. They pointed to the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—which happened right around the same time—as proof that the network was purging liberal voices. On the flip side, conservatives saw it as a long-overdue "correction" to a newsroom they’ve viewed as biased since the Vietnam War.
What the Data Actually Says
Let’s look at the numbers because feelings are fickle. Organizations like Ad Fontes Media and AllSides have been tracking this for years. Historically, they’ve rated CBS News as "Center" or "Lean Left."
In the 2025-2026 media bias charts, the needle is moving.
- Ad Fontes Media: Generally places CBS News in the "Middle" for bias but high for "Reliability/Fact Reporting."
- AllSides: Has historically given them a "Lean Left" rating for their web content, though their broadcast news often ranks as "Center."
But here’s the kicker: perception is reality for most viewers. A Pew Research study from late 2025 showed a massive divide. About 39% of Democrats trust CBS, while only about 22% of Republicans do. Even if the reporting is factually solid, the "brand" still carries a liberal scent for a huge chunk of the country.
The $16 Million Settlement and the "60 Minutes" Drama
You can't talk about CBS bias without mentioning the 2024 election fallout. Remember the $10 billion lawsuit Donald Trump filed against 60 Minutes? He claimed they edited an interview with Kamala Harris to make her look better.
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CBS eventually settled for $16 million in 2025.
To some, this was just a business decision to clear the way for the Paramount-Skydance merger. To others, it was "caving." Then there was the "Inside CECOT" segment on a Salvadoran prison that was spiked—or "postponed"—just before airing in late 2025. The reporter, Sharyn Alfonsi, was furious. She basically said the decision was political, not editorial.
When a newsroom starts pulling stories that are critical of a sitting administration, people start asking questions. Is CBS News liberal or conservative? Or are they just afraid of the people in power?
How the Newsroom Actually Works
Look, I’ve talked to folks in these environments. A newsroom isn't a monolith. It’s a collection of hundreds of producers, writers, and editors. Most of them are just trying to get the story right before the 6:30 PM deadline.
CBS still has some of the most rigorous "Standards and Practices" in the business. They have a massive book of rules about how to handle sources and when to use the word "lie." But even with those rules, the choice of which stories to cover matters.
If you spend three nights talking about climate change and zero nights talking about the cost of eggs, a segment of the audience will call you liberal. If you hire a former Hudson Institute head to oversee complaints—which CBS did—the other side calls you conservative.
The Ratings Problem
Here’s the cold, hard truth: being "neutral" is bad for business.
Since the management shakeup in late 2025, CBS Evening News has reportedly lost over a million viewers. Some people left because they thought the show was becoming too "Trump-friendly." Others stayed away because they still don't trust the legacy brand.
Tony Dokoupil, the new anchor, is trying to walk a fine line, but in a polarized world, the middle of the road is where you get hit by cars.
Is CBS News Liberal or Conservative? The Verdict
If you’re looking for a simple answer, you won't find one. CBS News is currently a "centrist" organization in the middle of a massive identity crisis.
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- The Leadership: Definitely leaning more toward a "classical liberal" or "anti-woke" centrist perspective under Bari Weiss.
- The Rank and File: Still largely holds the traditional, slightly left-of-center worldview common in coastal media hubs.
- The Content: Mostly fact-based and reliable, but increasingly cautious about offending the current administration or its billionaire owners.
How to Watch Without Being Fooled
Don't just take one source as gospel. If you’re watching CBS, do yourself a favor and check the same story on a right-leaning site like The Wall Street Journal editorial page and a left-leaning one like The Guardian.
Pay attention to what they don't say. Often, bias isn't about what’s reported—it’s about what’s ignored. Look for the "adjective creep." If a reporter uses words like "disturbing" or "surprising" instead of just giving you the numbers, they’re trying to tell you how to feel.
Start checking the bylines. See who wrote the piece and what they’ve written before. Use tools like the Media Bias Chart to see where a specific program falls, because 60 Minutes might have a different lean than the morning news. The most important thing is to stay skeptical, even of the "Tiffany Network."
Keep your eyes open. The media landscape is shifting faster than ever, and what was true about CBS six months ago might not be true today.
Actionable Next Steps
- Compare the coverage: Pick one major political story this week. Watch the CBS Evening News segment, then read a summary of the same event on a "Center-Right" outlet. Notice the difference in which experts were interviewed.
- Check the "Corrections" page: Reliable news organizations admit when they're wrong. Go to the CBS News "Publishing Principles" or "Corrections" section once a month to see how transparent they are being about their mistakes.
- Diversify your feed: Use a news aggregator that specifically labels bias, so you can see how the same fact is framed by different sides of the aisle.