CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss created a firestorm when she recently pulled a 60 Minutes piece about illegal aliens and CECOT, the prison in El Salvador.
Weiss made it clear in a memo to staff this week that she expected more from them in that story and what they put out to the public. One of the main things that she thought was missing in the piece was a new comment from the Trump administration.
The 60 Minutes correspondent, Sharyn Alfonsi, defended their reporting in an email to colleagues after the story was pulled.
"We requested responses to questions and/or interviews with DHS, the White House, and the State Department. Government silence is a statement, not a VETO. Their refusal to be interviewed is a tactical maneuver designed to kill the story," she added.
Except then came the news that the government had not been "silent."
According to Axios, the Trump administration provided three on-the-record statements from the White House, State Department, and Department of Homeland Security. There was even a more than 300-word statement from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. None of that was included in the final story. While the story was pulled here in the U.S., it ran on an app in Canada, so people were able to pick it up and see what was in it.
READ MORE: New Report Raises Even More Questions About That Spiked 60 Minutes Illegal Alien Story
So after all that, now comes word that Weiss is planning on overhauling things, according to Axios.
CBS News' new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, is planning to create a masthead for the broadcaster as part of a broader overhaul of standards and procedures, according to a source familiar with her plans.
Why it matters: The masthead is meant to drive a more streamlined hierarchy and set of processes across show and news gathering teams that are intended to prevent disparate editorial procedures and standards. [....]
State of play: With the new masthead will come a new structure and set of policies that will require all show teams, not just "60 Minutes," to provide more visibility to senior editors ahead of sensitive segments and stories.
Translation? It looks like she's finally bringing some much-needed standards back, and to make them uniform across the board, and not just at 60 Minutes.
On top of it all, it appeared like Scott Pelley took a shot at Weiss during a Monday staff meeting, if this report is true.
He asked why she had weighed in at the last minute after not attending five screenings of the segment as it was being completed.
“It’s not a part-time job,” Mr. Pelley said, according to four people familiar with the discussion who requested anonymity to describe a private exchange.
Um, maybe she thought she could rely upon you guys having a balanced piece? And can we talk about the attempt to undercut Weiss as the boss with these leaks? Another thing Weiss may have to take in hand.
Sounds like Weiss is going to make changes that will be better for journalism at the network, whether they like it or not. Cue the meltdowns; you know they will be coming.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use the promo code MERRY74 to receive 74% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member