Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News, made headlines recently for her decision to spike a “60 Minutes” segment on the conditions at a prison in El Salvador where alleged illegal immigrants deported by the Trump administration are detained. The segment was set to feature correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi interviewing deportees at the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) prison in El Salvador.
However, Weiss reportedly requested numerous changes to the segment and ultimately decided to pull the report. Among her suggestions was to include an interview with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller or another senior Trump administration official. This decision sparked controversy within the “60 Minutes” team, with Alfonsi expressing her disappointment in an email to CBS colleagues, calling it a political rather than an editorial decision.
The incident has led to backlash from staffers at “60 Minutes,” with some reportedly threatening to quit over the decision. President Trump also weighed in, criticizing the show and its new ownership under David and Larry Ellison. Trump has been vocal in his criticism of the show, particularly following a recent interview with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
In response to the backlash, CBS News announced that the “Inside CECOT” segment would air in a future broadcast after additional reporting. The National Immigration Law Center has highlighted the harsh conditions at CECOT, where young men were reportedly sent in secret and subjected to torture.
Amidst the controversy, David Ellison, who recently acquired The Free Press and appointed Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News, is also making moves in the media industry. His company, Paramount Skydance, has launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, challenging their deal with Netflix.
Despite the postponement of the CECOT segment, “60 Minutes” aired other segments in its Dec. 21 episode, including a feature on the Kanneh-Mason family in Nottingham, England, and a segment on “The Sherpas of Everest” with correspondent Cecilia Vega. The decision to pull the CECOT segment has raised questions about editorial independence and the influence of corporate ownership on news content.
