Bari Weiss Lecture at UCLA Canceled Amid Security Concerns and CBS Turmoil
A scheduled lecture by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has been canceled, the university confirmed on Thursday, February 18, 2026. Weiss was slated to deliver the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture on February 27th, focusing on “The Future of Journalism.”
Security Concerns Prompt Cancellation
The cancellation followed a withdrawal by Weiss’s team, reportedly due to security concerns. UCLA had offered to provide enhanced security measures, but Weiss ultimately decided to withdraw from the event according to sources familiar with the program.
Background of the Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture
The Daniel Pearl Memorial lecture series honors the late Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan in 2002. The lecture is considered a cornerstone event for UCLA’s Burkle Center for International Relations, with previous speakers including prominent journalists such as Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper and Bob Woodward as reported by the Jewish Journal.
Campus Opposition and Protests
The decision to cancel the lecture came after mounting criticism and planned protests from activist groups, and students. A petition demanding the event’s cancellation garnered nearly 11,000 signatures according to the Daily Bruin. The anti-Israel organization CodePink had called on UCLA to rescind the invitation, alleging Weiss promotes views inconsistent with the values of the lecture series.
CBS Turmoil and Weiss’s Recent Controversies
The cancellation occurs during a period of organizational upheaval at CBS. Weiss, who became editor-in-chief of CBS News in October 2025 after Paramount (CBS’s parent company) purchased her media company, The Free Press, has faced criticism for controversial decisions. Notably, she recently pulled a “60 Minutes” episode examining alleged abuse of deportees sent to El Salvador, a move that drew accusations of political motivation as reported by the Los Angeles Times. CBS is also currently navigating an escalating dispute with late-night talk reveal host Stephen Colbert regarding FCC enforcement of equal-time rules.
Potential Rescheduling
While the event is currently listed as “cancelled” and ticket holders are expected to receive refunds according to UCLA’s event page, an individual familiar with the matter indicated the lecture may be rescheduled at a later date, though no fresh date has been announced as reported by The Wrap. The Burkle Center also suggested Weiss might conduct the lecture over Zoom according to the Daily Bruin.