Katherine Hellidge Calls Out CBS Over Biden Interview Concerns
Katherine Hellidge, a former investigative reporter for CBS News, has raised issues regarding how “60 Minutes” handled President Biden’s interview in 2023, suggesting that the network may have overlooked his cognitive decline.
Last year, Hellidge was let go as part of a broader cost-cutting initiative by Paramount ahead of its $8 billion merger with Skydance. She criticized CBS News for its lack of transparency after receiving word from Sumner Redstone, the late media mogul’s daughter, that he played a role in the decision to settle with President Trump over a legal dispute.
Hellidge has faced backlash over a seemingly edited interview with Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, which has led to questions about whether CBS is manipulating coverage to improve perceptions of some politicians while damaging others. Reportedly, Redstone agreed to pay $16 million linked to claims that she would enhance Harris’s audio prior to the November election.
Redstone, who sold Paramount to Skydance recently, expressed a desire for CBS to present more balanced reporting concerning topics like the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. However, he also feared that moving to trial could lead to significant allegations regarding how “60 Minutes” has addressed Biden’s age-related issues, as noted in a recent interview with the New York Times.
Hellidge is now urging CBS to provide a full transcript and video footage of the interview conducted by Scott Pelley.
“Last year, I asked for more transparency concerning Biden’s interview in October 2023. Now, it seems even Shari Redstone has raised concerns,” Hellidge remarked on social media.
She believes that releasing the interview footage would help address larger questions about potential editing practices at CBS, particularly regarding Biden’s cognitive state. She stressed the necessity for the program to make such material available to boost public confidence in its integrity.
“If there are no issues, then sharing this material will reinforce that ’60 Minutes’ adheres to the highest standards,” she mentioned. Furthermore, she insisted on the release of any major newsmaker’s interviews—proposing that transparency could enhance CBS’s credibility.
Hellidge previously noted that CBS CEO George Cheeks had allowed her to emphasize balanced coverage of the Hunter Biden laptop story but faced resistance from her direct superiors.
She reiterated this frustration in her recent posts, indicating her displeasure with the internal dynamics that limited her reporting.
The leadership at CBS is now under the umbrella of the newly formed Paramount Skydance Corp, following Redstone’s substantial sale of the company. She also hinted that settling Trump’s lawsuit could help tackle perceptions of anti-Israel bias within the network.
Redstone shared with the Times that some CBS staff who viewed the Biden interview remarked on his “drowsy” appearance, heightening fears that the editing might obscure concerns about his mental fitness.
Additionally, Redstone expressed anxiety that legal proceedings could expose raw footage and internal communications that might harm CBS’s reputation significantly. While some within CBS downplayed his concerns, highlighting that the situation might not be as dire as it seemed, a representative from CBS declined to comment further.
