CBS News Chief Defends Pulling 60 Minutes Segment

CBS News head Bari Weiss sent a memo to staff defending her decision to pull a 60 Minutes segment on El Salvador's CECOT prison. She argued that holding stories is sometimes necessary to win back public trust and ensure fairness. The decision caused internal backlash, with reporter Sharyn Alfonsi calling it a 'political one.' Weiss maintained that the network aims to inform the public and get the story right, regardless of political pressure.

CBS News chief Bari Weiss sent a Christmas memo to staff on Wednesday defending her decision to hold a 60 Minutes piece. The segment in question was reportedly about the Trump administration's use of El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison. Weiss made the decision to pull the segment shortly before it was due to air.

In the memo, signed by Weiss and other CBS News leadership, she wrote that the press needs to win back the public's trust. She stated that 'sometimes it means holding a piece about an important subject to make sure it is comprehensive and fair.' Weiss emphasized that the network is committed to high standards of fairness.

Weiss addressed the current media climate directly. She wrote, 'Right now, the majority of Americans say they do not trust the press.' She added context to this statistic, stating, 'It isn't because they're crazy.' She argued that to fulfill their mission, making difficult editorial decisions is necessary.

The decision to hold the 60 Minutes segment led to significant blowback both inside and outside CBS News. Sharyn Alfonsi, who reported the segment, wrote a note to colleagues regarding the decision. Multiple outlets reported that Alfonsi described the decision as a 'political one.'

Weiss addressed the potential for controversy in her memo. She noted that such editorial decisions can cause a firestorm, particularly on a slow news week. She acknowledged that the standards for fairness being applied will feel controversial to those used to doing things differently.

Despite the criticism, Weiss asserted that the leadership is not swayed by outrage. She wrote, 'No amount of outrage—whether from activist organizations or the White House—will derail us.' She clarified that the team is not out to score points with one side of the political spectrum or to win followers on social media.

The memo comes amidst heavy scrutiny of Weiss' management since she was installed atop CBS News by Paramount CEO David Ellison in October. Paramount Skydance owns CBS News. The company has also acquired The Free Press, the conservative-friendly news site Weiss founded after leaving The New York Times' opinion section, for approximately $150 million.

Paramount is currently involved in significant corporate maneuvering. The company is dueling with Netflix to buy Warner Bros. Discovery. President Donald Trump has stated that he would be involved in the regulatory review process regarding this potential acquisition.

Weiss concluded the memo by reiterating the network's goals. She stated that CBS News will hold itself to a high standard of fairness and be independent. She described restoring the integrity of the news as a difficult but necessary task.

Below is the full text of the memo sent by Bari Weiss and CBS News leadership to staff:

'Hi all, Right now, the majority of Americans say they do not trust the press. It isn't because they're crazy. To win back their trust, we have to work hard. Sometimes that means doing more legwork. Sometimes it means telling unexpected stories. Sometimes it means training our attention on topics that have been overlooked or misconstrued. And sometimes it means holding a piece about an important subject to make sure it is comprehensive and fair.'

'In our upside-down moment, this may seem radical. Such editorial decisions can cause a firestorm, particularly on a slow news week. And the standards for fairness we are holding ourselves to, particularly on contentious subjects, will surely feel controversial to those used to doing things one way. But to fulfill our mission, it's necessary. No amount of outrage—whether from activist organizations or the White House—will derail us. We are not out to score points with one side of the political spectrum or to win followers on social media. We are out to inform the American public and to get the story right.'

'Restoring the integrity of the news is a difficult task. We can't think of a more important one. Merry Christmas—and thank you, especially, to everyone who is working over this holiday. Yours, Bari Tom Charles Adam'