EXCLUSIVE: CBS Hit by Fresh Turmoil as Matt Gutman Faces Harassment Lawsuit
CBS faces fresh turmoil as Matt Gutman is accused of harassment in a former ABC producer's lawsuit.
Sept. 1 2026, Published 6:30 a.m. ET
Shocking sexual harassment allegations leveled against prized CBS News golden boy Matt Gutman have given the network's beleaguered editor-in-chief Bari Weiss yet another black eye and raise new questions about the direction of the spiraling department, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The CBS Evening News correspondent, one of the network's first high-profile hires last year, has been sued by former ABC News field producer Samira Said, who claims he made inappropriate comments to her more than once when they worked together at the rival network between 2021 and 2025.
Gutman Eyed for Bigger CBS Role
Samira Said accused Matt Gutman of making sexually inappropriate comments while they worked at ABC News.
"This is exactly the kind of distraction Bari Weiss does not need right now," one network source told RadarOnline.com.
Gutman was handpicked by Weiss, who joined CBS in January after 17 years at ABC. Insiders previously told RadarOnline.com that Weiss was considering him to replace flailing Tony Dokoupil as CBS Evening News anchor.
The talk gained steam after Weiss had Gutman fill in for vacationing Dokoupil in July, and the broadcast received its highest weekly audience in months – topping the 4million viewer mark for the first time since late March.
"It's a bad sign for Tony when your substitute anchor reels in over 100,000 more viewers than you," a CBS source said at the time, going on to speculate, "If this trend continues, Bari Weiss will have to think about changing anchors."
Scandal Puts Weiss Under Scrutiny
Bari Weiss reportedly considered Gutman as a potential replacement for 'CBS Evening News' anchor Tony Dokoupil.
But insiders said the recent scandal allegations are another setback that call Weiss' management abilities into question.
"The issue isn't one allegation. It's the accumulation of problems," a second source said. "At some point, people stop calling it bad luck and start asking about leadership."
Weiss has been widely criticized for the dumping of so many high-priced and familiar faces at the venerable news division, including 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley, who publicly declared that Weiss was "murdering the show."
His exit came weeks after Anderson Cooper quit.
Gutman's CBS Future Now Uncertain
Scott Pelley publicly accused Weiss of 'murdering' '60 Minutes.'
Pelley claimed Weiss had tried to influence stories, a complaint that was echoed by correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega before they lost their jobs in the purge.
Gutman's future will depend on what facts emerge in the lawsuit, but any path toward a bigger role is now more complicated.
Dokoupil, meanwhile, looks safer because CBS has fewer reasons to make another dramatic change at the top.
Weiss' Margin for Error Shrinks
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Tony Dokoupil's position reportedly appears safer following the allegations against Gutman.
"Tony just got something every anchor wants: a reason not to be replaced," an insider said.
Sources said Weiss' job may not be in immediate danger, but her margin for error is shrinking.
With a proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger potentially putting CBS and CNN under one roof, a source said any more black eyes could be a knockout blow for Weiss.
