In an internal email sent Wednesday and cosigned by CBS News President Tom Cibrowski and two senior editors, Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News, defended her decision to delay a “60 Minutes” segment. Weiss described the move as part of an effort to address declining public trust in the media by applying stricter standards of fairness and completeness.
“We are facing widespread skepticism toward the media,” Weiss wrote. “Right now, the majority of Americans say they do not trust the press. To win back their trust, we have to work hard.”
The email followed internal criticism after Weiss halted a segment focused on the Trump administration’s deportation of Venezuelan migrants to an El Salvador prison known as the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT). The story had been promoted for broadcast on Sunday.
Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi informed colleagues that the segment was “spiked,” noting concerns that requiring participation from the Trump administration could lead it to block unfavorable coverage by declining interviews. Weiss stated in a separate meeting that she canceled the segment because it was not ready, emphasizing CBS News’ need to secure interviews with principal figures.
CBS News has confirmed the segment will air at a later date. The decision has drawn attention following Weiss’ appointment as editor-in-chief in October after Paramount Skydance acquired her media outlet, The Free Press.
Paramount Skydance recently received federal approval for a merger that included commitments such as appointing an ombudsman with Republican Party ties and ending diversity initiatives. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts accused CBS News of political interference, while White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller criticized “60 Minutes” staff members but defended Weiss’ authority.
Tanya Simon, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” stated that the segment had cleared internal review before being revised late in the process at Weiss’ direction. In her email, Weiss rejected claims that CBS News is catering to political pressure, insisting: “We are not out to score points with one side of the political spectrum. We are out to inform the American public and get the story right.”
