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Posted on 12/28/2025 7:14:09 PM PST by AirForceVet1988
In 1995, 60 Minutes made a decision that nearly destroyed the program. Producers killed an interview with Jeffrey Wigand, a tobacco industry whistleblower who had evidence that cigarette companies knew their products were addictive and carcinogenic. CBS’s lawyers were worried about a potential lawsuit, so the interview got shelved. The story eventually came out anyway, the lawyers’ fears proved overblown, and 60 Minutes spent years trying to rebuild its credibility. The whole debacle became the basis for The Insider, a 1999 film starring Russell Crowe and Al Pacino that portrayed CBS executives as cowards who caved to corporate pressure at the expense of the public interest.
It was, by any measure, a low point in the history of American broadcast journalism.
On Sunday, 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi sent an internal memo to colleagues warning that CBS was repeating that history. The network had just killed her story about Venezuelan migrants who were deported to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison, where they were allegedly tortured, beaten, and subjected to sexual violence. The segment had been promoted on social media for days. It had been screened five times. It had been cleared by CBS’s lawyers and its Standards and Practices division. It was, by all accounts, ready to air.
Then Bari Weiss, the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, pulled it.
(Excerpt) Read more at newrepublic.com ...
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RE: by any measure, a low point in the history of American broadcast journalism.
So many have happened since then. Every day is a propaganda and hate filled example of biased Leftists dishing out the news.
Low point?
How low can they go?
Chubby Checker in 1963. Notice he was not chubby and he has a suit like the current skinny suits in fashion today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiGhPD0GXhM
To those of us who actually have the ability to think, CBS is a joke. No reasons need be mentioned, since that would require much time and typing. Eff that network and may all of their leftist silliness be sent into the sun.
“She suggested the segment needed an interview with Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff”
Since Miller is ALWAYS ready to talk to the media it sounds to me that the 60 Minutes worker-bees didn’t not want to include what he had to say - so she CORRECTLY pulled the piece as Journalism 101 (at least when I took the class) makes it perfectly clear that you give the person(s) being attacked a chance to respond.
Here’s the difference.
The tobacco companies were US companies killing US citizens. Even assuming the allegations are true, and I have no idea about the veracity of the story, this is El Salvador doing something to criminals in El Salvador.
It isn’t like MS13 never tortures or abuses people outside of prison, either. (Just joking, we know they do.)
I really hate to step in when this is the allegation, but I feel an obligation to point out the reference point that the left is probably hanging this hat on: the Abu Ghraib photos of Iraqi prisoners wearing underwear on their heads.
Prisons have a commonly referenced reputation for "sexual violence," even used as punch lines in jokes. To suddenly now call it out as a shocking development is disqualifying to the credibility of those who are making the allegations.
-PJ
No bias here.
As editor-in-chief, that is her prerogative.
Nonsense. 60 Minutes had blown any credibility it may have ever had years before 1995.
What about Rather-gate?
What about NBC News rigging vehicles to explode in flames to back their claims of unsafe vehicles?
What about all the hullabaloo over the 2004 election?
They are all just upset that they no longer have a monopoly on the news. Plain and simple.
Agreed.
I’ve seen a lot of hype about Weiss bringing back balanced journalism, but I don’t believe it. Liberal media has a reputation of pretending they will be more conservative, to bait us back to watching. Until I see a couple shows revealing Democrat corruption, I won’t believe it.
>> It was, by any measure, a low point in the history of American broadcast journalism.
And “60 minutes” is what collects in the low point of a bull’s colostomy bag.
Or have you forgotten about CBS/60Minutes Rathergate scandal?
>> Interesting article. History repeating itself.
Hahahahaha! NO. Speaking of colostomy bag contents, are you aware that “New Republic” is a steaming hot mess of biased leftist propaganda? ALL OF IT. Cover to cover. Please see here for one (of many!) counterpoints to the New Republic diarrhea: https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/12/tempest-at-cbs.php
“CECOT mega-prison, where they were allegedly tortured, beaten, and subjected to sexual violence.”
That happens in American prisons, too. Did 60 Minutes / CBS ever do a segment on that?
This CECOT story was another blatant move to disparage Trump and MAGA. I’m glad Weiss shut it down.
There is absolutely no way they would ask for Stephen Miller’s counterpoint because they know full well he would destroy them and there story on camera for all to see.
60 Minutes could do a story on paint drying and make Republicans look bad.
“They are all just upset that they no longer have a monopoly on the news.”
Indeed, and it gets worse by the day. Doubt that as the boomers die off and the MSM dies too is just a coincidence.
GM C/K p/u “saddle” gas tank pyrotechnics......
It’s a long, ongoing hystory of lies and manipulation by 60 Min.
Was it CBS that edited the audiotape of Zimmerman in the Tradition Martin case, or another outlet?
BTW, Bondi took the case against Zimmerman, presume portraying Trayvon as a wide-eyed innocent.
3 agencies-—Noem/Homeland Security, Patel/FBI, and Miller, iirc-— all insist that they did respond.
As for a kill switch ? Bullshiite. If they all repeatedly refuse to comment, just say so and run it....not some really mouthed “they had no comment”
I don’t trust Alfonsi or many within CBS but I do trust Weiss so far.
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