Correspondent says CBS terminated her after disagreement over CECOT story

Sharyn Alfonsi’s CBS News Contract Not Renewed

Sharyn Alfonsi, a correspondent for “60 Minutes,” revealed on Wednesday that CBS News has declined to renew her contract, which expired recently. This decision comes months after she criticized editor-in-chief Bari Weiss for postponing a segment focused on abuse allegations at CECOT, a prison in El Salvador.

Liberal critics have accused Weiss and Paramount CEO David Ellison of aligning too closely with former President Donald Trump’s administration. Alfonsi contended late last year that Weiss’s choice to release the “Inside CECOT” segment was driven more by political motives than journalistic ones.

Now, Alfonsi’s attempts to negotiate a new contract have gone unanswered by CBS executives, prompting her to accuse the network of neglecting its commitment to independent journalism. She stated, “Last weekend, my contract with CBS News expired, ending nearly 20 years, including over a decade on 60 Minutes.”

After a contentious editorial disagreement regarding the CECOT article, Alfonsi expressed frustration at the lack of communication from CBS leaders. “My time on 60 Minutes is clearly over,” she maintained, anticipating that corporate jargon might be utilized to justify her departure. “Make no mistake,” she warned.

Although still officially employed by CBS, Alfonsi emphasized that this was not a typical corporate move but a calculated action against journalists who refuse to dilute factual reporting. She argued that this sends a worrying message throughout the newsroom.

According to her, CBS used to embody fearless and independent reporting, a hallmark of “60 Minutes.” However, she feels that the current leadership has strayed from that mission in favor of protecting relationships with powerful entities.

CBS News has not responded to requests for comments regarding this situation.

In December, Weiss postponed the airing of the segment featuring interviews with deportees and discussions of torture conditions, citing the need for additional coverage due to a lack of on-the-record statements from the Trump administration.

Alfonsi indicated that the segment’s delay was politically motivated rather than an issue of editorial integrity. In her view, retracting the story after passing all internal checks was more about politics than journalism.

She also noted that CBS had reached out to various government agencies seeking comments, and the silence from these institutions, she suggested, indicated a troubling dynamic that allowed them to effectively control reporting.

“If the administration’s refusal to participate is a valid reason to delay coverage, then we’re giving them a kill switch over unfavorable reporting,” she remarked.

Alfonsi faced backlash before, including a 2021 segment involving Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, where she claimed his PAC made significant donations to his campaign amid allegations of preferential treatment in vaccine distribution. The story faced scrutiny and pushback from various commentators and stakeholders.