Controversy Surrounds “60 Minutes” Story on El Salvador Prison
The “60 Minutes” story on the El Salvador prison, which was initially pulled from the air, finally made it to television on Sunday. The segment, titled “Inside CECOT,” detailed the Trump administration’s treatment of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants who were deported to the notorious prison. The story was initially scheduled to air on December 21 but was pulled by CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss, who believed it needed additional reporting, including a more robust response from the White House.
Background on the Story
Sharyn Alfonsi, the “60 Minutes” correspondent who worked on the piece for months, protested the move by Weiss, calling it politically motivated in an email to colleagues. The appointment of Weiss, made in October by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison, has been seen by many CBS News insiders as a move to placate the Trump administration. The company is seeking a smooth regulatory path as it pursues the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, and pulling a “60 Minutes” segment critical of the administration only intensified that perception.
CBS News maintained that the story would eventually run, stating that “CBS News leadership has always been committed to airing the 60 MINUTES CECOT piece as soon as it was ready.” The network added that the story would be aired “along with other important stories, all of which speak to CBS News’ independence and the power of our storytelling.” Weiss insisted that Alfonsi’s story needed more reporting and remarks from a talking head from the White House.
Changes to the Story
The version of the segment that aired on Sunday included three and a half minutes of additional information but no new interviews. The White House did provide statements, which were read by Alfonsi at the top and end of the segment. Data on the number of criminals apprehended by ICE was also added to the story. Additionally, the program revealed that one of the prisoners who described the abuse inside CECOT to Alfonsi had a swastika and three sixes tattoos on his body, which are associated with the Aryan Brotherhood, a gang of white supremacists.
The administration has used tattoos as a means to determine if an undocumented migrant is a gang member. However, the interview subject denied that he belonged to a gang and said he had no knowledge of what the tattoos represented. The decision to pull the CECOT piece became a major media industry story, with Weiss initially downplaying its importance, saying it was a “slow news week.”
Aftermath and Controversy
However, it was widely believed inside the news division that Weiss’ move was a major snafu that reflected her lack of experience as a TV news executive and awareness of the fishbowl nature of the industry. People close to Weiss say she has since acknowledged that she was not familiar with the process where the contents of a news program are distributed for promotional purposes and on-screen TV listings ahead of airtime. Weiss has also told colleagues that she should have been involved earlier in the screening and vetting process for Alfonsi’s story.
Trump has long criticized “60 Minutes,” often accusing the program of treating him unfairly. He extracted a $16 million settlement from CBS News after he sued over an interview with his opponent in the 2024 presidential race, Kamala Harris. Weiss joined CBS News after Paramount acquired her digital news site, the Free Press, which gained a following with its sharp critiques of leftist policies.
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