Veteran "60 Minutes" correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi is set to depart from CBS News at the end of May, as her contract will not be renewed. The impending exit follows a public dispute over editorial independence and comes as Alfonsi has reportedly retained high-profile media attorney Bryan Freedman. According to a tweet from Tatiana Siegel, Alfonsi is "out at 60 Minutes in 3+ weeks and has lawyered up," with her contract expiring in 23 days.
Sources indicate that CBS News is allowing Alfonsi's contract to run its course rather than terminating it. This move could complicate any potential settlement, despite Freedman's history of securing significant payouts for clients in similar situations. The core of the tension stems from a clash with CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss regarding a "60 Minutes" segment on El Salvador's CECOT Prison.
Alfonsi publicly criticized what she described as "corporate meddling and editorial fear" at CBS News, stating in an award speech, "My hope recently has been that I still have a job." She had accused Weiss of temporarily shelving her report, which was critical of the Trump administration, for "political" rather than "editorial" reasons. A leaked memo from Alfonsi alleged that the decision was made to "shield the Trump administration," a claim Weiss countered by stating the story lacked on-record responses from the administration.
Although the CECOT story eventually aired, the dispute reportedly led to ongoing tensions between Alfonsi and Weiss. Alfonsi, who joined "60 Minutes" in 2015, has been recognized with multiple awards, including Emmys for her reporting on the Parkland High School shooting and a DuPont-Columbia University Award for her work on the US/Mexico border. Her departure marks a significant change for the long-running news program.
