CBS News editor-in-chief argues in memo that network’s priority was ‘comprehensive and fair’ coverage

In the memo sent to staff on Christmas Eve, Weiss said news organizations needed to do more to win back the trust of the American public and vowed that “no amount of outrage” would “derail us”.

“We are not out to score points with one side of the political spectrum or to win followers on social media,” according to the memo, signed by Weiss and other CBS News leadership and published in full by several media outlets. “We are out to inform the American public and to get the story right.”

The internal battle over the story exploded into public view after CBS announced the segment would not be a part of the show, despite extensive promotion. Weiss’s last-minute decision to hold the episode sparked outrage and charges of censorship amid Donald Trump’s second administration, though some conservative commentators generally aligned with the president have defended the move. In a private email sent to 60 Minutes correspondents that was subsequently made public, CBS correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who spent weeks reporting the episode, called the decision a “political one”.

  • apftwb@lemmy.world
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    1 hour ago

    Nothing says “comprehensive” like less information.

    Nothing says “fair” like being indefinitely detained in a foreign prison.

  • CandyPants@lemmy.ml
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    38 minutes ago

    Bari Weiss is the is the Republican idea of a safe Democrat… so a moderate Republican.

    Pulling that story only served the people who should be embarrassed by it. Even the the people who are most adamant about immigration thought the CECOT shit was too far.

    She is a handpicked, useful idiot who’s job is to normalize and white wash fascist policies. She’s so insufferable… walking around like she gets to define what centrist ideas are.

    People voted the way they voted in 24 because of the economy. It was not a referendum on the acceptance of right wing ideologies. And when it swings the other way, she’ll be one of the morons crying the loudest.

    • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
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      7 hours ago

      Honestly really basic stuff about CECOT that most people should already know. But since it’s the USA I’m sure it’s new to most people.

      I wish they included some information on the new foreign torture prisons replacing CECOT after it become politically toxic. But for some reason no journalists seem to want to discuss those.

      • spongebue@lemmy.world
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        5 hours ago

        Supposedly that’s Bari’s reason for spiking it. Still, the firsthand account from the people detained isn’t very common, and it’s uniquely telling that the government is citing criminal acts for which the guy pleaded out of and is legally innocent over.

  • lennybird@lemmy.world
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    6 hours ago

    Friendly reminder that their bullshit excuse of not getting a comment from the White House is completely irrelevant. Respectable journalist outfits request comment but if declined or ignored, they proceed anyway.

    That would otherwise suggest a corrupt White House could tank any story they disliked by just refusing to comment. Connect the touching dots.

  • Manjushri@piefed.social
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    7 hours ago

    “Such editorial decisions can cause a firestorm, particularly on a slow news week,” Weiss wrote

    A slow news week? When was the last slow news week in the USA? I can’t recall.

  • tidderuuf@lemmy.world
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    8 hours ago

    So she’s not a centrist if she is looking to cover up the crimes of the current administration.

  • ynthrepic@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    I don’t see any specific defense in her argument. No mention of anything in particular the episode might have gotten wrong.

    I didn’t expect anything of substance but I do like happy surprises. Sadly, I am not amused.