2025-12-24T19:35:51.874Z
- CBS News head Bari Weiss sent out a memo to staff defending her decision to host 60 Minutes.
- Weiss made the decision to film the CECOT prison segment shortly before it was scheduled to air.
- She said restoring public trust in news sometimes means preserving stories.
CBS News chief Bari Weiss sent a Christmas memo to staff on Wednesday defending her decision to film a “60 Minutes” segment on the Trump administration's use of the notorious CECOT prison in El Salvador.
In a note signed by Weiss and others CBS News Managementshe wrote that the press needed to regain the public's trust and that “sometimes that means keeping a story on an important topic to make sure it is comprehensive and fair.”
“Most Americans now say they don't trust the press,” she wrote. “It's not because they're crazy.”
Weiss' decision to host “60 Minutes” shortly before it aired sparked backlash both inside and outside CBS News, which is owned by Paramount Skydance. Sharyn Alfonsi, who reported the story, wrote in a memo to colleagues that the decision was “political,” multiple media outlets reported.
Weiss said in her memo that she and other CBS News leaders “are not looking to score points on one side of the political spectrum or gain followers on social media.”
The media world has been scrutinizing Weiss' leadership since she was named CBS News chief. Paramount CEO David Ellison in October. Paramount also acquired The Free Press, the conservative news site Weiss founded after leaving The New York Times' opinion section, for about $150 million.
Paramount fights Netflix To buy Warner Bros. Discovery. President Donald Trump has said he will participate in the regulatory review process.
Weiss added in the memo that CBS News will maintain high standards of fairness and independence.
Here is the full text of the memo:
Hi all, Most Americans now say they don't trust the press. It's not because they're crazy. We will have to work hard to regain their trust. Sometimes this means doing more leg work. Sometimes that means telling unexpected stories. Sometimes this means focusing our attention on topics that have been overlooked or misinterpreted. And sometimes that means keeping an article on an important topic to make sure it's comprehensive and fair. In our upside-down moment, this may seem radical. These editorial decisions can cause a lot of emotion, especially during a slow news week. And the standards of fairness to which we adhere, especially in controversial matters, are likely to seem contradictory to those who are accustomed to doing things one way. But it is necessary to fulfill our mission. No amount of outrage—whether from activist organizations or the White House—will undermine us. We are not looking to score points on one side of the political spectrum or gain followers on social media. We want to inform the American public and get the story right. Restoring news integrity is no easy task. We can't think of anything more important. Merry Christmas! And especially thanks to everyone who works on this holiday. Your, Bari Volume Charles Adam
