Bari Weiss tells staffers they must work to regain public trust in new memo

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss sent a memo to staff on Wednesday continuing to defend the decision to postpone the CECOT “60 Minutes” segment that created a media stir, saying it was part of a broader mission to regain viewer trust and suggesting the story was not yet “thorough and fair.”

Weiss, who has irritated some insiders by noting the public’s lack of trust in CBS and other mainstream media outlets, told staff in a message obtained by Fox News Digital that the majority of Americans who say they don’t trust the press are not “crazy.”

“That means we have to work hard to earn their trust back.” he wrote. “Sometimes that means doing more legwork. Sometimes it means telling unexpected stories. Sometimes it means drawing our attention to overlooked or misunderstood issues. Sometimes it means keeping a piece on an important topic and making sure it’s comprehensive and fair.”

STEPHEN MILLER CALLS FOR FIRES OF CBS PRODUCERS FOR SHELFING TRUMP’S EXTRAORDINARY STORY EPISODE

“In our upside-down moment, this might seem radical,” he continued. “Such editorial decisions can cause a storm, especially in a slow-moving news week. And the standards of fairness we apply to ourselves, especially on controversial issues, will certainly seem questionable to those accustomed to doing things one way. But it is necessary to fulfill our mission.”

This seemed like a clear example of the “60 Minutes” story that Weiss delayed this week, prompting the reporter to take action. Sharyn Alfonsi sparking an angry memo accusing Weiss of making a political decision rather than an editorial one. Alfonsi’s message to colleagues was quickly leaked, setting off a media frenzy around Weiss’ leadership.

But Weiss isn’t backing down, if his new message is any indication from his mission to rebuild CBS News.

He wrote that “no amount of anger” from either outside activists or the White House could derail the mission.

’60 MINUTES’ CORRESPONDENT FIGHTS BARI WEISS AFTER BREAKING NEWS IN EL SALVADOR PRISON SECTION

Bari Weiss speaks onstage at a Book Club event with Peggy Noonan on November 19, 2024 in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images for the Free Press)

“We are not trying to score points with one side of the political spectrum or gain followers on social media,” he wrote. “We are here to inform the American public and tell the right story.”

The letter was signed by Weiss, managing editor Tom Cibrowski, and assistant editors Adam Rubenstein and Charles Forelle.

Alfonsi and his “60 Minutes” colleagues weren’t the only ones to oppose Weiss’ initial decision to keep the work. The move sparked a barrage of public criticism, much of it from the left side of the aisle in media and politics, over Weiss’s background in ideas and her lack of experience running a major news division.

CBS, BARI WEISS FACE MORE BACKGROUND FROM LIBERAL CRITICS OVER YANKING ’60 MINUTES’ SEGMENT

Liberal media critics, already wary of Weiss for her anti-woke and pro-Israel views, jumped on the story and reported that some employees were demoralized and angry about the decision. Some outlets even suggested, without any evidence, that Weiss was performing. a corporate hit job Paramount’s Warner Bros. On behalf of the Trump administration for its efforts to take over Discovery.

Weiss, who founded The Free Press after serving as opinion editor at the New York Times, was appointed CBS editor by Paramount CEO David Ellison in October.

Weiss’ notes on Alfonsi’s CECOT story included calling for more aggressive efforts to get a Trump official to appear on camera to defend deportation policies, while also casting shade on the “bizarre” part of the episode that featured Berkeley students analyzing the infamous El Salvador prison. CBS announced Sunday, hours before “60 Minutes” was set to air, that it was holding the episode for additional reporting.

Advocates said their notes to improve the CECOT piece were valid and would have made the segment less one-sided because it included only past brief clips of President Donald Trump and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. CBS also came under fire for not using recorded comments from the White House, Department of Homeland Security and State Department in the segment.

In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, journalist Michael Shellenberger noted what he saw as the story’s shortcomings and said Weiss was “100%” right to save the story for further coverage.

After the segment aired in Canada, it was leaked online and to be seen here. Alfonsi interviewed two Venezuelan men deported to CECOT, where they described torture and hellish conditions. He also interviewed Human Rights Watch official Juan Pappier and UC-Berkeley students and staff. Human Rights Center.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION