CBS Correspondent Accuses Network of Penalizing Her
CBS News did not renew the contract of Sharyn Alfonsi. She is a long-time reporter for the TV show 60 Minutes.
The dispute started over a news segment that was pulled in December. The segment was about Venezuelan men sent to a prison in El Salvador.
CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss pulled the segment. Alfonsi said CBS penalized her for refusing to change accurate reporting.
She said the decision sent a "chilling message" to the newsroom. She had also criticized CBS over what she called "corporate meddling." Alfonsi says her contract lapsed but she is still a CBS employee.
She said CBS must formally fire her if they want her gone. She has hired a media lawyer which suggests a legal fight may follow.
Klear Note — 60 Minutes is CBS's long-running investigative news show. Editorial disputes over story content can raise concerns about press freedom.
Key Terms 4
- 60 Minutes A long-running CBS TV news show known for investigative reporting
- editor-in-chief The top person in charge of editorial decisions at a news outlet
- corporate meddling When business leaders interfere with journalists' editorial decisions
- chilling message A warning that scares others from doing the same thing