CBS News recently pulled a segment on 60 Minutes connected to a recent deportation hours before airing. Since then, a correspondent has spoken out about the issue. In addition, the network’s editor-in-chief has also discussed the decision.
One Correspondent Discussed The Move In An Email Shared To CBS News Staff
60 Minutes has been running on the CBS network since 1968. The show is known for focusing on reporter-centered investigation.
The show is hosted by a number of correspondents who usually do not interact with each other. Such presenters include Lesley Stahl, Scott Pelley, Bill Whitaker, Anderson Cooper, Jon Wertheim, Sharyn Alfonsi, and Cecilia Vega.
Recently, the series made headlines when a segment was pulled focusing on Venezuelan men who were deported by the Trump administration. They were reportedly sent to an El Salvador prison. The segment was reportedly pulled hours before airing.
The segment was called “Inside CECOT” and was meant to air on Sunday night. According to People, a CBS News spokesperson shared that the story needed more research and would air at a later date.
Since the move, however, an internal debate was sparked at CBS News. In a private email correspondent, Sharyn Alfonsi, sent to other staffers, as shared by The Wall Street Journal, it was claimed that CBS News’ new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, had “spiked our story.” She also decried the decision, saying it wasn’t an “editorial” one, but “a political one.”
Bari Weiss Also Released A Statement Concerning The Move
Alfonsi also wrote, “Our story was screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices. It is factually correct.”
According to the outlet, Weiss also explained the decision in another statement shared on Sunday night. At the time, she shared, “My job is to make sure that all stories we publish are the best they can be.”
“Holding stories that aren’t ready for whatever reason — that they lack sufficient context, say, or that they are missing critical voices — happens every day in every newsroom. I look forward to airing this important piece when it’s ready.”
Weiss claimed that the segment couldn’t run without an on-the-record comment from a Trump administration official. This was shared by NPR, which cited two people with knowledge of network events.
However, Alfonsi claimed that her team sought a comment from the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department. She wrote, “Government silence is a statement, not a VETO.”
“If the administration’s refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a ‘kill switch’ for any reporting they find inconvenient.”
This also comes out amid larger scrutiny against CBS News following the Paramount Skydance merger. Weiss had been appointed editor-in-chief in October after her site, The Free Press, was acquired earlier this year. At this time, she currently remains in her role at The Free Press while working with CBS News.
Have you been following this story? What is your reaction to what is happening? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.
John Witiw has been a writer since at least 2015. He’s covered a variety of topics, especially when it comes to film and television.
