Longtime correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi expects to depart ’60 Minutes’ as big changes loom

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Sharyn Alfonsi, a veteran correspondent for “60 Minutes,” announced Wednesday that CBS News will not be renewing her contract. This follows a disagreement with CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss regarding a report about immigration policies during the Trump administration.

After nearly twenty years with CBS News, including more than ten years reporting for ’60 Minutes,’ correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi‘s contract ended this weekend, she announced in a statement to The Times.

After a significant disagreement with editors about our report on CECOT, my lawyers repeatedly tried to discuss a resolution with network leaders, but they didn’t respond at all. It’s clear to me that my time with 60 Minutes is finished.

CBS News didn’t respond to requests for comment about Alfonsi’s statements. While her contract ended over the weekend, she’s still with the network as an at-will employee, meaning they can end her employment at any time, sources say. Producers who previously worked with Alfonsi are now working with other correspondents.

Alfonsi shared these thoughts as the “60 Minutes” team prepares for some big changes, potentially including who reports the stories. Anderson Cooper has already said he’s leaving after being with the show for 20 years.

The report believed to be a key factor in Alfonsi’s departure, titled “Inside CECOT,” revealed how the Trump administration handled hundreds of Venezuelan migrants, ultimately deporting them to a notoriously harsh prison in El Salvador.

The planned broadcast of “Inside CECOT” on December 22nd was cancelled by Weiss the day before it was supposed to air. Weiss felt the report needed further investigation, specifically a response on camera from the administration, but they declined to participate.

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News cameras rushed to the Washington Hilton after gunshots were reported, turning what should have been a celebratory event into a night of reporting for journalists.

Alfonsi publicly objected to the decision to delay the story, arguing it was driven by political reasons in an email she sent to her coworkers.

Alfonsi explained that the story had been reviewed by the network’s legal team and standards department before they approved it for broadcast.

I saw what Alfonsi said, and it really struck me. He basically confirmed it was accurate, but then pointed out that taking it down now, after they’d gone over it so carefully internally, wasn’t about editing at all – it felt totally political to him. It’s frustrating because it sounds like the decision wasn’t based on the content itself, but something else entirely.

The segment “Inside CECOT” aired on January 18th largely as originally planned, without significant alterations to its content or approach. Weiss admitted to colleagues that removing the segment after it had been advertised was an error in judgment.

The situation resulted in the first major public relations problem for Weiss since becoming head of CBS News, and it damaged the well-respected reputation of the “60 Minutes” program. It also fueled speculation that Weiss was appointed to appease the Trump administration while CBS’s parent company, Skydance Media, was trying to get government approval for its purchase of Paramount and a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

The program has faced significant challenges since October 2024, starting when former President Trump sued CBS for $20 billion over an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The lawsuit was eventually settled, which helped pave the way for Skydance Media to acquire Paramount last year.

In October, CBS News hired Weiss with a goal from Paramount CEO David Ellison to move the network towards more neutral political coverage. Weiss, who founded the conservative-leaning news website The Free Press, had plans to update the show “60 Minutes,” but waited until the current TV season concluded this past weekend to begin making those changes.

Alfonsi stated she anticipated CBS News would portray her departure as a standard administrative matter, and not a result of her performance or reporting.

Alfonsi warned that network leaders might use terms like ‘modernization’ or ‘restructuring’ to downplay the reasons for her leaving. She clarified that this wasn’t a typical job change, but a direct consequence of her refusal to alter accurate reporting. She believes this decision is meant to discourage other journalists from reporting truthfully.

People within CBS News aren’t sure how big the upcoming changes will be. However, those advising new leader Neeraj Khemlani have told him to avoid making significant changes to “60 Minutes,” as the show just had a successful season in terms of viewership.

The show averaged 9.1 million viewers on Sundays, which was a 9% increase compared to last year, according to Nielsen ratings. It also saw a significant rise in views on its digital and social media channels.

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2026-05-27 22:01