Bari Weiss Faces Backlash Over Private Criticism of 60 Minutes Correspondent
In a remarkable development within American broadcast journalism, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss has reportedly expressed significant frustration with veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi during private briefings with reporters. The background conversations occurred as Weiss sought to shape coverage surrounding her controversial decision to initially spike, then ultimately air, the "Inside CECOT" segment about Venezuelan migrants deported to a notorious Salvadoran prison.
Controversial Background Briefings Reveal Internal Tensions
According to reports from Status News, Weiss conducted private briefings with journalists on the condition that they wouldn't directly attribute information to her. During these conversations, the editor-in-chief allegedly criticised Alfonsi, who had declined to make changes to her piece at Weiss's behest. This unusual move by a network chief to personally engage in public relations spin during a media firestorm has raised eyebrows across the industry.
"While it is no secret that Weiss and Alfonsi are at odds, the fact that the network's top editorial executive would voice irritation with one of her marquee correspondents to outside journalists is, to put it mildly, extraordinary," observed Status News reporter Oliver Darcy. "Strong leaders keep disagreements within the house. They don't complain to the press about them—especially when the subordinate is barred from advocating in the press on her own behalf."
The CECOT Segment Saga and Mounting Internal Criticism
The controversy stems from Weiss's decision last month to dramatically pull the "Inside CECOT" segment at the last minute, despite it having been cleared by the network's legal team and promoted on CBS airwaves. Weiss repeatedly defended her decision by claiming the segment was "not ready" to air, citing the lack of on-the-record comments from the Trump administration defending their actions and legal justifications.
Alfonsi responded with a memo to her 60 Minutes colleagues, arguing that Weiss's decision appeared politically motivated. "Our story was screened five times and cleared by both CBS attorneys and Standards and Practices," she wrote. "It is factually correct. In my view, pulling it now – after every rigorous internal check has been met is not an editorial decision, it is a political one."
The correspondent further warned that if the White House's refusal to participate becomes valid grounds to spike a story, networks effectively hand them a "kill switch" for any reporting they find inconvenient, transforming from investigative powerhouses to "stenographers for the state."
Morale Crisis and Staff Revolt Concerns
The fiasco has prompted network employees and insiders to suggest Weiss could face a "revolt" from 60 Minutes staff, which was already suffering from plummeting morale following a year's worth of controversies. These include Paramount paying Donald Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over the program's interview with Kamala Harris.
One network reporter expressed severe criticism of Weiss's leadership to The Independent: "She is so out of her depth it's astounding. Her inexperience is on full display. How long must we endure this fiasco?"
Another 60 Minutes staffer told Status that Weiss was "deflecting" the widespread backlash she has faced since joining CBS by "blaming us," adding that she should have expected pushback from the show's experienced and acclaimed team. "They know exactly what they're doing, and they do it exceptionally well. That's why the show has been No. 1 for as long as it has," the staffer stated.
Weiss's Conservative Shift and Broader Network Tensions
The controversy occurs against the backdrop of CBS News's conservative shift under Paramount chief David Ellison, who has been accused of trying to curry favour with Trump as he seeks regulatory approval in his hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Weiss, an anti-woke columnist appointed by Ellison in October despite her lack of broadcast news experience, has faced withering press coverage and internal criticism over her leadership.
She has come under additional fire over the "MAGA-coded" reboot of CBS Evening News, which has suffered a rocky rollout replete with internal discord, technical mishaps, controversial pro-Trump segments and soft ratings. This has reportedly increased Weiss's frustration with overwhelmingly negative media coverage.
Segment Finally Airs with Minimal Changes
After holding the story for four weeks, Weiss ultimately allowed it to air largely intact this past Sunday, with little promotion and against NFL playoff competition. While the report itself remained unchanged from the previously submitted version, 60 Minutes added portions to the front and back of the segment, including additional comments from the Trump administration and details about an "offensive tattoo" that one interviewed migrant had removed.
Despite Weiss making it a top priority for the report to include Trump administration commentary – her stated primary reason for initially pulling the segment – these efforts proved unsuccessful. "Since November, '60 Minutes' has made several attempts to interview key Trump administration officials on camera about our story," Alfonsi noted during the aired segment. "They declined our requests."
The Independent has reached out to representatives for CBS News and Weiss for comment on these developments, which continue to reverberate through the network's newsroom and the broader media landscape.
