Why CBS's ‘60 Minutes' shelved Sharyn Alfonsi's story on Venezuelan prisoners

CBS’s renowned program “60 Minutes” has suffered a major blow to its credibility after they shelved a segment related to immigrants deported from the United States.

The program decided not air a segment detailing accounts of Venezuelan men who were deported from the U.S. to the notorious maximum-security prison in El Salvador.

The reporter behind the story, Sharyn Alfonsi, has called the decision a form of “corporate censorship”, adding that the program is being dismantled and some staff members are threatening to quit.

According to CNN, two sources who spoke to the publication on the condition of anonymity have revealed that the program was fully fact-checked and legally vetted; however, editor-in-chief Bari Weiss spiked the story.

Weiss argued that lack of response from the Trump administration did not provide a balanced stance; whereas, Alfonsi believes that the White House’s tragic silence should not be allowed to “veto” a critical story.

The reporter further added that if the “no response” from the government becomes a valid reason to kill a story, it means that the media is handing them a “kill-switch” for any critical story and it’ll be used by the administration as a tactical and strategic maneuver.

Weiss responded in a statement to the New York Times, saying, “My job is to make sure that all the stories we publish are the best they can be and have sufficient context,” adding, “We determined that Alfonsi’s story needs additional reporting.”

She added, “I look forward to airing this important piece when it’s ready.”