CBS News has hired New York Times conservative columnist Ross Douthat as a correspondent for 60 Minutes, despite his lack of television or investigative reporting experience. Margaret Sullivan argues that the appointment is perplexing because it follows the departure of several experienced journalists and signals a broader shift in the programme’s leadership and editorial direction.

The move follows David Ellison’s ownership group appointing Bari Weiss as CBS News editor in chief last October; Weiss also came from opinion journalism rather than television news. Weiss later chose Nick Bilton, another former New York Times figure without TV news experience, as 60 Minutes executive producer. Sullivan suggests the hires reflect an effort to align CBS more closely with conservative political interests, while CBS News ratings have reportedly fallen.