Bari Weiss Accused of Censoring 60 Minutes Segment on El Salvador Prisons and Venezuelan Migrants
Bari Weiss, serving as CBS News editor-in-chief, has come under fire for allegedly censoring a 60 Minutes segment that explored brutal prison conditions in El Salvador and the plight of Venezuelan migrants under the Trump administration. Although the segment was fully edited, fact-checked, cleared by CBS standards and legal teams, and even promoted through trailers, it was pulled just days before its scheduled airing.
Critics claim that Weiss used her editorial authority to protect powerful interests and the oligarchy, rather than serving the public interest. The piece included direct testimony from an abused migrant, adding a significant human element. The topic remained timely, underscored by a federal judge's order requiring the Trump administration to propose plans for returning migrants to the US or providing them with a hearing.
Weiss reportedly reports to David Ellison. Paramount Skydance controls CBS's parent company, and ongoing mergers, such as that of Warner Bros Discovery, could be influencing editorial decisions across networks, including CNN. This situation evokes previous controversies, including a settlement with Trump related to 60 Minutes' editing of a Kamala Harris interview. Comedian Stephen Colbert disparagingly referred to that settlement as a "big, fat bribe," highlighting concerns about corporate influence on journalism.
The author argues that Weiss should reconsider her stance, approve the segment, and fulfill the role of an editor committed to serving the public, rather than acting as a component of an oligarchic system.
