The current version of 60 minutes is not the same show it was when my dad had us watch as kids when it debuted in 1968. Haven’t watched it in years. And it just reconfirmed it is not to be taken seriously when they did the Harris edit. Anytime I see any MSM in North America, I just automatically assume there is more to the story. Just like this one.
You never seem to go for popular, just ‘the facts M’am’. Too bad so many others have allowed their professionalism to lapse along with their ethics. So glad to see that you remain one of the exceptions. Thank you for your story and clarification.
To many journalists exist in an echo chamber these days. Thank you for having the courage of your convictions Brian. I'm sure your readers appreciate it.
If it was "half-baked," how did it get past all the editors and lawyers that approved it for broadcast? As I understand it, even Weiss initially approved it. But then backed down after the Trump admin complained.
I'm sorry, but a comment from a Nazi like Stephen Miller is not necessary.
People who don't understand how newsrooms work would think this was all the proof needed that it was all good - signed, sealed and delivered.
Legal is only there to advise if there are any concerns related to potential lawsuits. Beyond that they have no bearing on the validity of a story.
Standards and practices is a bit like a rubber stamp, though they should have caught that Alfonsi had three written statements and used none of them.
Whatever your views on Miller, he is the Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House and CBS was accusing the White House of being complicit in torture. If you won't use any of the three written statements provided to you then you have to seek on camera comment from someone who will speak.
Sorry if this offends you, this is how the business is supposed to work.
Thanks for your comments. I know how a newsroom is "supposed" to work. I don't disagree that the "half-baked" comments from the White House should have been used however disingenuous they were. It would have shown them for the frauds they are. But then Miller goes on Fox "News" and demands that CBS FIRE the 60 minutes producers over the story, which is still factually correct.
Miller may be a Deputy Chief of Staff, but that's an appointed position, not approved by the Senate. Regardless, he's acting like the head of DHS (a Constitutionally Senate approved appointment) and anything immigration related that Noem wants to do has to go through him. He's a special kind of evil.
But you haven't disputed the fact that Weiss initially approved the story along with everyone else, then pulled it. What changed? Maybe a call from the White House when they got wind of it?
You say the Weiss called the report "lazy journalism and the public deserves better." Is that the same kind of lazy journalism that reporters from her so-called "The Free Press" did when they took out of context that Palestinian kids were starving? Her "news" organization claimed these kids were already suffering from other maladies before being bombed to shit by Israel. So... Any reporting that they were starving is false. Bullshit. Weiss is an amateur and WAY out of her league. She does NOT deserve to be the head of CBS News. Period.
lol. I’m surprised you didn’t apply for the job with your resume.
You didn’t. And in fact nor did Ms Weiss. She was headhunted.
I think Mr Lilley has ably described the shortcomings in this matter. I think your analysis is faulty , but I’m sure I speak for most of us, you are free to voice your opinion.
Dear John: Yes, facts matter. I'm not above saying that I'm wrong about something if presented with an alternative that is true. But your comments present nothing to dispute any of the facts that I presented. But please, do tell. What was faulty about my analysis of the situation? Be specific, please.
Cheryl Hines on the intolerant left and the folks around T.
Have you noticed a difference in how people treat you?
When Bobby started running as a Democrat...a lot of [Democrats] were critical. People on the right, when they don’t agree with something, I haven’t seen them be mean, or name calling or coming up to you and telling you to f*** off. [I] haven’t seen that from the right, only from the left.
What have you observed about President Donald Trump from the inside?
He’s a change maker. And he’s a strong leader. It’s clear to me that the people in this administration really care about this country, and they really are working hard to do the things that they think will make the country better. And I suppose I thought there would be more people out for just themselves. But I don’t get that feeling at all here.
In other news I came across a tribute by the supremely talented Lady Gaga to Charlie Kirk
As talented as she is, and I am a big fan of her work, I find her leftist viewpoint and speaking for Trans people publicly ( less than .01% of the population) off putting.
Celebrities continue to assume that their comments on anything to do with the real world are intentional. They should just confine their thought to their waxing regime.
Gaga has a right to speak out just like anyone else. What's wrong with you? Trans people are STILL people and and part of the "real world" regardless of what you think. They deserve to be treated with respect.
TEN out of more than half a million (that's 0.0000000196078%)!
Most trans people just want to live their lives in peace. Transphobes and homophobes make their lives hell for no reason. Those that DO compete follow the IOC guidelines to participate.
As long as everyone understands who's competing, there's no deception, no "infiltration." If a SCHOOL wants to disqualify someone, that should be up to them. Not the federal government.
Perhaps someday in the future journalism will reappear in all so-called news reports. Perhaps someday journalism will include 360 degrees around issues rather than invoking the raw brainstem emotion that evokes clicks and likes that seem to be the objective. Perhaps someday we will return to real dialog over issues that can only be decided by compromise. I opine for that day but may not live to see it unless everyone understands the harm being done to our society by one sided reflections on issues. With reviews like yours and the constructive criticism that comes from peers perhaps there is yet hope.
CBS will benefit from Weiss's direction. Her Free press posts views from all angles on stories challenging readers to find support for their thoughts and to listen to those who differ. All media should be held to this standard.
Brian, the mistake in your framing is treating the Bari Weiss / 60 Minutes episode as a political censorship story. It isn’t. It’s an ownership-control story. The segment wasn’t spiked; it was pulled because it was editorially weak—recycled allegations, no meaningful engagement with government responses that were provided, and advocacy dressed up as reporting. That’s not suppression; that’s an editor doing her job. The real shift you missed is that legacy media no longer prioritizes newsroom autonomy—it prioritizes narrative discipline. Weiss isn’t there to silence stories; she’s there to enforce standards ownership now cares about. Whether that’s healthy for journalism is the real debate.
The other story I take with a grain of salt is Canadian travel to the US and the cause of any decrease. Just headed to Ellicottville for the first of a few long stretches and I note with some amusement that we will be faced with a delay at the border. WHAT! The town will be full of elbows up southern Ontario Liberal baby boomers who winter there. They will bitch about T over their brandy snifters at their cocktail parties down there but don’t ask them to miss their skiing experience. That would be a bridge too far.
Just put another lie to rest. Border was busy but we breezed through with zero issues. One of quickest ever despite a full truck and two dogs that everyone said were going to cause issues. I got extra paperwork. I thought they were throwing people into custody when they crossed?
CBS is demonstrating 1) that a news organization does not need public funding in order to materially misrepresent a situation and 2) that competition does not necessarily provide the hoped-for discipline.
At this point, either Weiss's proposed reform succeeds or CBS dwindles to partisan insignificance.
Not to worry; there is a horde of them out there on the internet and that may well be the future of media generally. Merry Christmas anyway.
I am in the software business and we have some pretty formalized procedures for making a ‘release’ available for the public. How does someone at Global publish a ‘leaked’ version without knowing it was not official?
Yes, you are in the right way. But I like President Trump action against terrorists especially in the middle east and also against drug traffickers. If I was American, I support him totally. I am Iranian - Canadian, so if some decisions of President Trump aren’t compatible by the interests of these two countries, I don't agree with him on that case.
Sorry Brian, as much as I've always respected you, you do seem to be too much in bed with the Americans. It's to the point now that I can no longer separate the wheat from the chaff. You talk about this story as it was all over the news but most of us had never heard about it until it became the story.
It was published by the NY Times on November 8. It was covered by many outlets at the time, discussed on CNN and MS Now and the major networks.
If Weiss hadn't pulled the piece you still wouldn't have heard about it because the 60 Minutes piece broke no new ground. She wasn't killing the piece, she asked for it to be better.
Elbows up guy? not a chance. Though if there was even a hint of validity to Carney I would be happy.
All I'm saying is that it's either all or nothing when it comes to biases. I follow Brian because I like a lot of what he says and the stories he reports on. Do I detect a distinctly American flavour? yes I do, do I agree with it? sometimes, sometimes not.
When it comes to Trump, I believe that he has already taken America down a path that it can never recover from.
Those markets will return to us eventually, where else can they go? We must just look longer term than we do. in the meantime, diversifying our markets is a smart thing to do.
The path President Trump has taken us down continues to expose the massive corruption engaged in by democrats. Somali theft of billions is just the tip of the iceberg.
It would be funny if it wasn't so surreal to see you prove my point. You just mentioned one small item of corruption in the American system. Just by trying to gaslight my conversation by screaming ' democrat corruption ', is hilarious.
Honestly I don't even know why I'm still engaging after that comment, but anyways.
Let's talk about the rest of the iceberg. Democrat, Republican, it doesn't matter. The corruption runs deeper than the Marianas Trench on both sides. That was my point, biases, you just showed yours.
It’s not bias to state that the documented corruption through USAID flows one hundred percent through democrat affiliated NGO’s. If you’re aware of USAID money laundered through a republican NGO put it on the table.
The current version of 60 minutes is not the same show it was when my dad had us watch as kids when it debuted in 1968. Haven’t watched it in years. And it just reconfirmed it is not to be taken seriously when they did the Harris edit. Anytime I see any MSM in North America, I just automatically assume there is more to the story. Just like this one.
There often is.
Weiss wasn't even asking to make this story palatable to the Trump admin, she just wanted a better story.
Bari is the ne plus ultra of journalism today, in my opinion.
And that was her crime, per her detractors.
Ditto
Thanks for the full story Mr. Lilley.
You are welcome. It's not popular to do, but it is necessary.
It’s popular to many readers. We like the nuts and bolts.
You never seem to go for popular, just ‘the facts M’am’. Too bad so many others have allowed their professionalism to lapse along with their ethics. So glad to see that you remain one of the exceptions. Thank you for your story and clarification.
To many journalists exist in an echo chamber these days. Thank you for having the courage of your convictions Brian. I'm sure your readers appreciate it.
I know I do.
Cheers.
Fair summary of what Ms Weiss did quite correctly.
Ms Weiss has done well. Good for her!
My view of her is forever tainted by her Joe Rogan interview, where Ms Weiss accused Tulsi Gabbard of being a “ toady” to the Syrian president.
Rogan asked Ms Weiss what that meant. “ toady”.
She was nonplussed. Could not explain what it meant to Joe Rogan .
The interview ended.
So for me ? Ms Weiss has done right in this matter.
I wonder if she purchased a dictionary in her new role as editor in chief.
My editor-in-chief would do that same to me if I filed a half-baked story like this one.
Ha. But your editor is Ms Batra, and I would put her above Ms Weiss in that role.
Not taking anything away from Ms Weiss’ masterful opportunism to sell Free Press and take over CBS. Lucky and rich ?
Anyone can be lucky. She earned it.
If it was "half-baked," how did it get past all the editors and lawyers that approved it for broadcast? As I understand it, even Weiss initially approved it. But then backed down after the Trump admin complained.
I'm sorry, but a comment from a Nazi like Stephen Miller is not necessary.
People who don't understand how newsrooms work would think this was all the proof needed that it was all good - signed, sealed and delivered.
Legal is only there to advise if there are any concerns related to potential lawsuits. Beyond that they have no bearing on the validity of a story.
Standards and practices is a bit like a rubber stamp, though they should have caught that Alfonsi had three written statements and used none of them.
Whatever your views on Miller, he is the Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House and CBS was accusing the White House of being complicit in torture. If you won't use any of the three written statements provided to you then you have to seek on camera comment from someone who will speak.
Sorry if this offends you, this is how the business is supposed to work.
Thanks for your comments. I know how a newsroom is "supposed" to work. I don't disagree that the "half-baked" comments from the White House should have been used however disingenuous they were. It would have shown them for the frauds they are. But then Miller goes on Fox "News" and demands that CBS FIRE the 60 minutes producers over the story, which is still factually correct.
Miller may be a Deputy Chief of Staff, but that's an appointed position, not approved by the Senate. Regardless, he's acting like the head of DHS (a Constitutionally Senate approved appointment) and anything immigration related that Noem wants to do has to go through him. He's a special kind of evil.
But you haven't disputed the fact that Weiss initially approved the story along with everyone else, then pulled it. What changed? Maybe a call from the White House when they got wind of it?
You say the Weiss called the report "lazy journalism and the public deserves better." Is that the same kind of lazy journalism that reporters from her so-called "The Free Press" did when they took out of context that Palestinian kids were starving? Her "news" organization claimed these kids were already suffering from other maladies before being bombed to shit by Israel. So... Any reporting that they were starving is false. Bullshit. Weiss is an amateur and WAY out of her league. She does NOT deserve to be the head of CBS News. Period.
lol. I’m surprised you didn’t apply for the job with your resume.
You didn’t. And in fact nor did Ms Weiss. She was headhunted.
I think Mr Lilley has ably described the shortcomings in this matter. I think your analysis is faulty , but I’m sure I speak for most of us, you are free to voice your opinion.
Just remember.
Facts matter.
Dear John: Yes, facts matter. I'm not above saying that I'm wrong about something if presented with an alternative that is true. But your comments present nothing to dispute any of the facts that I presented. But please, do tell. What was faulty about my analysis of the situation? Be specific, please.
And yet she is , and you’re still commenting without remuneration.
Whaaa…
The “as I understand it “ demonstrates your bias and lack of appreciation of reality.
I remember when I first saw some early Gabbard interviews and I thought here was a Democrat I could actually support.
Agree. A Remarkable woman. Trumps entire cabinet is so competent. I can watch Sec Rubio for ever. Miller is a sword of truth. Etc etc.
Cheryl Hines on the intolerant left and the folks around T.
Have you noticed a difference in how people treat you?
When Bobby started running as a Democrat...a lot of [Democrats] were critical. People on the right, when they don’t agree with something, I haven’t seen them be mean, or name calling or coming up to you and telling you to f*** off. [I] haven’t seen that from the right, only from the left.
What have you observed about President Donald Trump from the inside?
He’s a change maker. And he’s a strong leader. It’s clear to me that the people in this administration really care about this country, and they really are working hard to do the things that they think will make the country better. And I suppose I thought there would be more people out for just themselves. But I don’t get that feeling at all here.
In other news I came across a tribute by the supremely talented Lady Gaga to Charlie Kirk
As talented as she is, and I am a big fan of her work, I find her leftist viewpoint and speaking for Trans people publicly ( less than .01% of the population) off putting.
Rethink.
Charlie Kirk R.I.P.
Celebrities continue to assume that their comments on anything to do with the real world are intentional. They should just confine their thought to their waxing regime.
Gaga has a right to speak out just like anyone else. What's wrong with you? Trans people are STILL people and and part of the "real world" regardless of what you think. They deserve to be treated with respect.
What about the fact that they treat women with disrespect by trying to infiltrate our sports and steal our trophies etc.?
Infiltrate? Stealing? Aren't you being a little dramatic? Trying learning something:
"Transgender people make up a tiny fraction of all athletes. NCAA President
Charlie Baker testified in December 2024 that he knows of fewer than ten
transgender college student-athletes among 510,000 athletes total."
Source: https://www.sportanddev.org/sites/default/files/2025-07/Fact%20sheet_Transgender%20participation%20in%20sports.pdf
TEN out of more than half a million (that's 0.0000000196078%)!
Most trans people just want to live their lives in peace. Transphobes and homophobes make their lives hell for no reason. Those that DO compete follow the IOC guidelines to participate.
https://www.olympics.com/ioc/human-rights/fairness-inclusion-nondiscrimination
As long as everyone understands who's competing, there's no deception, no "infiltration." If a SCHOOL wants to disqualify someone, that should be up to them. Not the federal government.
Respect is earned. That’s why we are impervious to your rant.
Well done, this is journalism. I now have a better understanding of some of the events.
Perhaps someday in the future journalism will reappear in all so-called news reports. Perhaps someday journalism will include 360 degrees around issues rather than invoking the raw brainstem emotion that evokes clicks and likes that seem to be the objective. Perhaps someday we will return to real dialog over issues that can only be decided by compromise. I opine for that day but may not live to see it unless everyone understands the harm being done to our society by one sided reflections on issues. With reviews like yours and the constructive criticism that comes from peers perhaps there is yet hope.
CBS will benefit from Weiss's direction. Her Free press posts views from all angles on stories challenging readers to find support for their thoughts and to listen to those who differ. All media should be held to this standard.
Very well done, Sir!
Brian, the mistake in your framing is treating the Bari Weiss / 60 Minutes episode as a political censorship story. It isn’t. It’s an ownership-control story. The segment wasn’t spiked; it was pulled because it was editorially weak—recycled allegations, no meaningful engagement with government responses that were provided, and advocacy dressed up as reporting. That’s not suppression; that’s an editor doing her job. The real shift you missed is that legacy media no longer prioritizes newsroom autonomy—it prioritizes narrative discipline. Weiss isn’t there to silence stories; she’s there to enforce standards ownership now cares about. Whether that’s healthy for journalism is the real debate.
Spot on analysis.
NYU Law professors: https://www.justsecurity.org/127901/fact-check-bari-weiss-60-minutes
The other story I take with a grain of salt is Canadian travel to the US and the cause of any decrease. Just headed to Ellicottville for the first of a few long stretches and I note with some amusement that we will be faced with a delay at the border. WHAT! The town will be full of elbows up southern Ontario Liberal baby boomers who winter there. They will bitch about T over their brandy snifters at their cocktail parties down there but don’t ask them to miss their skiing experience. That would be a bridge too far.
Haven’t been there in years. Great spot.
Just put another lie to rest. Border was busy but we breezed through with zero issues. One of quickest ever despite a full truck and two dogs that everyone said were going to cause issues. I got extra paperwork. I thought they were throwing people into custody when they crossed?
Have a great visit!
CBS is demonstrating 1) that a news organization does not need public funding in order to materially misrepresent a situation and 2) that competition does not necessarily provide the hoped-for discipline.
At this point, either Weiss's proposed reform succeeds or CBS dwindles to partisan insignificance.
Not to worry; there is a horde of them out there on the internet and that may well be the future of media generally. Merry Christmas anyway.
Wonderful, Brian. That this caused such a stir in the first place is a 'tell'.
Great mind has finally taken charge.
The crybaby antics of the legacy media is precisely why adults are now about to reestablish the equilibrium.
Grow up America.
I am in the software business and we have some pretty formalized procedures for making a ‘release’ available for the public. How does someone at Global publish a ‘leaked’ version without knowing it was not official?
It was apparently delivered digitally via the app for streaming before the broadcast, that is how it leaked out.
Nothing they release is official. The legacy media routinely embarrass themselves with retractions and corrections.
Why is there not enough time to do things properly in the first place, but always enough time to things again.
Yes, you are in the right way. But I like President Trump action against terrorists especially in the middle east and also against drug traffickers. If I was American, I support him totally. I am Iranian - Canadian, so if some decisions of President Trump aren’t compatible by the interests of these two countries, I don't agree with him on that case.
The Canadians didn’t vote.
The Americans voted for him and his platform. No surprises.
Sorry Brian, as much as I've always respected you, you do seem to be too much in bed with the Americans. It's to the point now that I can no longer separate the wheat from the chaff. You talk about this story as it was all over the news but most of us had never heard about it until it became the story.
It was published by the NY Times on November 8. It was covered by many outlets at the time, discussed on CNN and MS Now and the major networks.
If Weiss hadn't pulled the piece you still wouldn't have heard about it because the 60 Minutes piece broke no new ground. She wasn't killing the piece, she asked for it to be better.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/world/americas/el-salvador-prison-migrants.html
Fair point Brian.
How is he in bed with the Americans? Let me guess- you’re an elbows up guy? Happy to ruin Canada if that means sticking it to Trump. Awful!
Elbows up guy? not a chance. Though if there was even a hint of validity to Carney I would be happy.
All I'm saying is that it's either all or nothing when it comes to biases. I follow Brian because I like a lot of what he says and the stories he reports on. Do I detect a distinctly American flavour? yes I do, do I agree with it? sometimes, sometimes not.
When it comes to Trump, I believe that he has already taken America down a path that it can never recover from.
Those markets will return to us eventually, where else can they go? We must just look longer term than we do. in the meantime, diversifying our markets is a smart thing to do.
The path President Trump has taken us down continues to expose the massive corruption engaged in by democrats. Somali theft of billions is just the tip of the iceberg.
It would be funny if it wasn't so surreal to see you prove my point. You just mentioned one small item of corruption in the American system. Just by trying to gaslight my conversation by screaming ' democrat corruption ', is hilarious.
Honestly I don't even know why I'm still engaging after that comment, but anyways.
Let's talk about the rest of the iceberg. Democrat, Republican, it doesn't matter. The corruption runs deeper than the Marianas Trench on both sides. That was my point, biases, you just showed yours.
It’s not bias to state that the documented corruption through USAID flows one hundred percent through democrat affiliated NGO’s. If you’re aware of USAID money laundered through a republican NGO put it on the table.
OK, enough of this claptrap, they're all crooked as shit. You just picked a side.
I don't want to continue this conversation, it's pointless. have a good day Sir.
Expand your network.
Expand your network Robert.