• Facebook
• Twitter
• Threads
• Flipboard
• Comments
• Print
• Email
• Add Fox News on Google

CBS editor-in-chief said ‘60 Minutes’ story was ‘not ready’ as staffers allege political motive

‘Fox News @ Night’ panelists discuss the controversy surrounding ‘60 Minutes’ shelving a piece on Trump deportations to an El Salvador prison shortly before it was set to air.

Former CBS News journalists are reportedly planning to urge Paramount CEO David Ellison to ensure CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss respects "editorial independence," but an ex-staffer feels the polarizing news chief is simply doing what she was hired to do. 

Weiss, who was handpicked by Ellison and has irked some insiders by noting a lack of faith from the public in CBS and other mainstream media institutions, made headlines last week by delaying a "60 Minutes" segment on Trump deportations to an El Salvador prison, CECOT. 

Hours before "Inside CECOT" was set to air, "60 Minutes" released a statement saying the segment was being delayed because it needed "additional reporting." The decision to delay the segment irritated many, including "60 Minutes" correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who accused Weiss of holding it for political reasons.

BARI WEISS SUGGESTS CECOT '60 MINUTES' PIECE SHE DELAYED WASN'T 'FAIR' IN MEMO TO STAFFERS

New Paramount CEO David Ellison handpicked Bari Weiss to serve as editor-in-chief of CBS News. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images; James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images; Noam Galai/Getty Images for The Free Press)

The New York Post reported on Monday that former CBS News journalists are preparing a petition to Ellison, urging him to make sure CBS News respects "editorial independence." The petition, which will reportedly be sent to Ellison on Jan. 3, states that Weiss’ decision to hold the story "signals a breakdown in editorial oversight, and risks setting a dangerous precedent in a country that has traditionally valued press freedom," according to the Post. 

A former CBS News journalist, who has not been asked to sign the letter, doesn’t believe it will move the needle. 

"I doubt it’ll have much impact on Ellison because I think he hired her to do exactly what she’s doing – even if not in the ham-fisted and self-destructive way she’s doing it," the former CBS News staffer told Fox News Digital. 

'60 MINUTES' REPORTER LASHES OUT AT BARI WEISS AFTER SEGMENT ON EL SALVADOR PRISON YANKED AT LAST MINUTE

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. (Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Uber, X and The Free Press)

"I think they’d be better off asking her for a face-to-face meeting," they continued. "That’d be a ‘town hall’ that might have an impact." 

CBS News and Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

In August, Ellison officially became the owner and CEO of Paramount, now formally referred to as "Paramount, a Skydance company." He handpicked Weiss to oversee CBS News, acquiring her outlet The Free Press for $150 million in the process. 

Weiss decided to delay the "60 Minutes" segment after determining that, while the interviews were "powerful," the story ultimately did not "advance the ball" and "was not ready." Among her notes were urging more effort to get a Trump official on-camera to defend administration policies on immigration, as well as criticizing a "strange" portion of the segment showing Berkeley students analyzing the prison.

STEPHEN MILLER CALLS FOR FIRING OF CBS PRODUCERS OVER SHELVED TRUMP DEPORTATION STORY SEGMENT

• ·Clooney says ABC, CBS should have told Trump to ‘go f
• ·我功夫特牛攻略大全 秘籍、武器及副本玩法汇总
• ·三房一厅装修图 三房一厅装修技巧
• ·三国天下归心武侯控场队玩法攻略
• ·《KingdomsAndSlaves》PC版下载 Steam正版分流下载
• ·浅谈兵士被道士压抑的烦恼
• ·黑神话悟空水火篮怎么获取 黑神话悟空水火篮获取方法大全
• ·高三写景作文：秋天的味道 3
• ·首艘首条首批 大国工程好消息频传
• ·三国天下归心武侯控场队玩法攻略
• ·暗影格斗3促销码2024 暗影格斗3促销码领取最新
• ·黑神话悟空水火篮怎么获取 黑神话悟空水火篮获取方法大全
• ·漫染级浪漫！北京晚霞登场，随手一拍即屏保
• ·赵睿11+4+4周琦11分8板 北京击败福建豪取7连胜
• ·กอปภ.ก.ติดตามสถานการณ์ชายแดนไทย
• ·法师对于道士真的异常艰苦