‘60 Minutes’ story airs after dust-up

Decision to hold the segment on prison in El Salvador had been criticized as political.

- By STEPHEN BATTAGLIO

The “60 Minutes” story on the El Salvador prison that led to a rocky start for CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss made it to air.

Sunday's segment, “Inside CECOT,” detailed the Trump administration's treatment of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants who were deported to an El Salvador prison known for its harsh conditions. The story was scheduled to run Dee. 21 but was pulled the day before air by Weiss, who believed it needed additional reporting, including a more robust response from the White House.

Sharyn Alfonsi, the “60 Minutes” correspondent who worked for months on the piece, protested the move by Weiss, calling it politically motivated in an email she sent to colleagues.

The appointment of Weiss, made in October by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison, is seen by many CBS News insiders as a move to placate the Trump administration. The company wants a smooth regulatory path as it pursues the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Pulling a “60 Minutes” segment critical of the administration after it had already been promoted only intensified that perception.

CBS News maintained that the story would eventually run.