Veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi has accused CBS News of penalizing her for refusing to sanitize factually accurate reporting, after the network declined to renew her contract for the show. In a statement, she said the decision sends a chilling message to the entire newsroom.
Contract Expiration and Allegations
Alfonsi confirmed to the Guardian that she was not offered a contract for the show's 59th season, which begins in the fall. Her contract expired on Saturday, and a source close to her said her team had not heard from CBS recently. She remains employed by the network and has no plans to resign, meaning CBS News would have to terminate her. The New York Times first reported the contract non-renewal.
In a lengthy statement on Wednesday, Alfonsi criticized the network's decision-making and leadership. She wrote: "Over the weekend, my contract with CBS News expired, drawing to a close nearly twenty years with the network, including more than a decade at 60 Minutes. Following an intense editorial dispute over our prison story, repeated attempts by my representation to establish a path forward were met with absolute silence from network executives. The message could not be clearer: my time at 60 Minutes is apparently over."
She warned that network leadership might hide behind euphemisms like "modernization" and "restructuring" to explain her departure, but insisted it was a deliberate choice to penalize a journalist for refusing to sanitize accurate reporting. "Fearless, independent reporting has always been the defining standard at 60 Minutes. Today, CBS management is abandoning that mission, choosing access journalism over accountability and protecting power rather than scrutinizing it," she added.
Background of the Dispute
Alfonsi was at the center of a national firestorm after CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss shelved a segment she had reported on a notorious prison in El Salvador. In December, Alfonsi accused Weiss of doing so for political reasons. During a speech in Washington late last month, she decried the spread of corporate meddling and editorial fear at CBS News, saying: "Some executives are asking not: 'Is the story true?' But: 'Is it good for business?'"
Impact on 60 Minutes
Alfonsi's exit is part of a broader shake-up of the show, which insiders fear could hurt its standing at the top of US television. Her reporting did not appear on the final three episodes of the 58th season, which ended on 17 May. Her last piece was a 26 April segment about prized pigeons and criminals who steal them. With her contract lapsed, Alfonsi is now eligible to seek employment elsewhere.
The 59th season will also be without veteran correspondent Anderson Cooper, who opted to leave. In an online piece, Cooper said "the independence of 60 Minutes has been critical" and expressed hope that the show retains its core values. "I hope 60 Minutes remains 60 Minutes," he said.
