• 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

• ·七日世界礼包码大全 七日世界礼包码在哪兑换
• ·我，破坏神，加入超次元公会
• ·海沧“本土十佳名小吃、荟萃十佳名小吃”出炉
• ·全球圈粉！腾讯小人国新作获全球期待
• ·นักสกีรวมตัวแปรขบวนเป็นรูปหัวใจ ไว้อาลัยเหยื่อไฟไหม้บาร์ที่สวิส
• ·广东加时力克同曦 郭昊文空砍42分徐杰伤退
• ·《不见不想》(金佩珊演唱)的文本歌词及LRC歌词
• ·微软Win 11默认启用新功能！低配置电脑扛不住了
• ·足彩头奖空开二等63万滚存1034万 本周六派1200万
• ·《地牢横冲直撞》PC版下载 Steam正版分流下载
• ·Báo Indonesia: U22 ẵm HCV SEA Games và quyền lực bóng đá Việt Nam
• ·中环环保：选举刘杨为董事长 聘任张伯中为名誉董事长
• ·1月8日人民币对美元中间价报7.0197 下调10个基点
• ·腌制品到底能不能吃
• ·间装修样板房设计方法 样板房设计要点
• ·乱扔烟头进垃圾桶，险些造成火灾酿成大祸